'I am playing for my country': Rashid Khan on rejecting India, Australia citizenship offers
Rashid Khan has shared that he turned down offers of citizenship from both India and Australia. He chose to stay committed to representing Afghanistan.
IANS
Apr 19, 2026 10:31
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New Delhi, April 19 (IANS) Rashid Khan has shared that he turned down offers of citizenship from both India and Australia. He chose to stay committed to representing Afghanistan.
The star leg-spinner revealed this in his book, Rashid Khan: From Streets to Stardom. He recounted an incident from the 2023 IPL season. A team official told him that a “senior figure” from Indian cricket wanted to meet him. Rashid remembered the conversation. He said, “I went over and greeted him. We started talking, and he said: ‘The situation in your country (Afghanistan) is very bad. Come stay in India. We will give you Indian documents, live here, play cricket here.’ I was surprised by what he was saying and didn’t know how to respond. But I smiled and said, ‘Thank you very much. I am playing for my country, Afghanistan.’”
Rashid also mentioned that such offers weren't unique to one country. “I received such offers (citizenship and playing) from both Australia and India. But I told them, ‘If I don’t play for my country, I won’t play for any other country either,’” he wrote, emphasizing his strong loyalty to Afghanistan.
The 25-year-old reflected on a similar episode from 2018 while with Sunrisers Hyderabad. After a match-winning performance against Kolkata Knight Riders, social media in India was filled with calls for him to get citizenship—showing the significant admiration he had already earned.
Khan also celebrated a special moment off the field by sharing the news of his son’s birth in an emotional social media post, introducing the newborn as Aslan.
The announcement featured a tender photograph and a wooden plaque that read, “Hello World, My Name is Azlan Khan".
Sharing his joy, Rashid wrote on Instagram, “Alhamdulillah. Welcome to the world, my little prince,” and asked well-wishers to keep his family in their prayers. The post quickly drew congratulatory messages from fellow cricketers and members of the cricketing fraternity, reflecting the admiration he enjoys across the sport.
--IANS
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