IPL 2019 | Rashid Khan feels positive anticipation helps him stay ahead of everyone

While numerous sportsmen in the past have openly come out to speak about the impact that the “Law of Attraction” has had on their performance, Rashid Khan became one of the first cricketers to reveal the usage of it. The Afghan cricketer, probably the most successful and dangerous spinner of current times, has also talked about the power of manifestation by creating positive anticipation in mind.

"When pressure comes, I always try to make a movie in my mind (anticipate positively) and release my pressure and make the best move for myself which makes me happy and helps me perform well. Before the game, I make a movie in my mind when the captain told me that you need to come and bowl from this end (in the game against RR). In the next hour, I made a movie in my mind of how to bowl to Buttler and get him out... bowled or, leg before or caught at slip. That's how I got him,” Rashid told Cricbuzz.

“If I had this thing in my mind that he will hit me here and there automatically he would have hit me, so that movie really helps me. I make myself a hero in that and tell myself look I need to bowl there and that's how it happens in the middle. The same thing happens in the batting as well. Before coming out to the wicket, I was fed up and I was thinking about how it would be if I hit the winning shot for six and that's like a helicopter shot. It was happening in my mind. I was repeating those things in my mind that I will hit this if I get the opportunity to go there and play."

Rashid’s reputation as an all-rounder has also grown in recent times after he successfully pulled off those helicopter shots on a regular basis in various leagues around the world. It was further vindicated when the leg-spinner played impactful innings against Rajasthan Royals to give his team an unlikely win so as to force the world to take notice of his batting talent. On being asked if he considers himself as an all-rounder, Rashid stated that it always feels good to be called so. 

"It feels good to be called an all-rounder. I have been always working hard on my batting. When I came to the national side in 2016, I was telling Inzamam bhai(the then Afghanistan coach) that I was a proper batsman, but he was not believing that. I had that thing in my mind that I will work hard and I have the skill. I just need to be working hard on my batting. One day will come and I can be very handy for the team.

"I'm happy with any number. Wherever they send me, I just need to play my natural game and just express my skills and not think about the position a lot,” the leg-spinner added.