Afghanistan bowler Rashid Khan waiting on Home Office clearance
Tuesday 1 August 2017 18:14, UK
Afghanistan teenager Rashid Khan is awaiting Home Office clearance to become an overseas county cricket player.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is seeking government clarification on the 18-year-old bowler's eligibility, with Afghanistan having been granted Test status last week.
Current rules state 'elite players' - those from Test-playing nations - are granted status to compete as overseas players.
Rashid must now wait for a decision on whether he now qualifies as an overseas player or must wait for Afghanistan to play their first Test.
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Several counties are reportedly interested in signing Rashid for the 2018 season, with the youngster ranked higher than any England bowler in the one-day (eighth) and Twenty20 (fourth) ICC rankings.
Earlier this month Rashid produced the fourth best bowling figures ever in ODI cricket, taking seven for 18 to destroy the West Indies batting line-up in Saint Lucia. He has taken 63 wickets in 29 ODIs and 42 in 27 T20 appearances for his country.
