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More than a decade and a half from his first appearance, England’s seasoned bowler might be excused for tiring of the non-stop cricket circuit. Currently in New Zealand for his 35th international T20 series or tournament, he summarises that frantic, repetitive schedule while discussing the group-connecting brief holiday in Queenstown with which England started their winter: “At times, these moments are scarce during endless tours,” he says. “You land, you train, you play and you travel.”

However, his passion is obvious, not just when he discusses the near-term prospects of a team that appears to be thriving guided by Harry Brook and his individual spot on it, plus when seeing Rashid drill, perform, or spin. But while he was able to stop New Zealand in their tracks as they aimed to overhaul England’s monumental 236 at Christchurch’s Hagley Oval on Monday night, with his four dismissals covering four of their leading five run-getters, he cannot do anything to stop time.

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Rashid reaches 38 years old in February, midway through the T20 World Cup. By the time the next one‑day international version is played towards the end of 2027 he’ll be close to 40. His close pal and current podcast partner Moeen Ali, only a few months older than him, ended his international cricket career last year. However, Rashid continues essential: those four dismissals brought his yearly tally to 19, half a dozen beyond another English bowler. Just three England bowlers have claimed as many T20I wickets in one year: Graeme Swann in 2010, Sam Curran in 2022, and Rashid in 2021, 2022, 2024 and now 2025. Yet there are no considerations of retirement; his attention stays on defeating rivals, not closing his career.

“Absolutely, I maintain the desire, the craving to feature for England and symbolize my nation,” Rashid declares. “Personally, I believe that’s the top accomplishment in any athletic field. That fervor for England persists within me. I feel that once the passion fades, or whatever occurs, that’s when you think: ‘OK, right, let’s have a real think about it’. Right now, I’ve not considered other options. I’ve got that passion, there’s a lot of cricket to be played.

“I desire to join this team, this group we have currently, on the next journey we have, which ought to be rewarding and I intend to contribute. With luck, we can achieve victories and secure World Cups, all the positive outcomes. And I’m looking forward to hopefully participating in that journey.

“We are unaware of what will occur. Just ahead, situations can shift rapidly. Existence and cricket are highly uncertain. I prefer to remain in the moment – one match at a time, one stage at a time – and allow events to develop, observe where cricket and existence lead me.”

In many ways this is no time to be thinking of endings, but rather of beginnings: a renewed side with a changed leader, a changed mentor and new vistas. “We have begun that voyage,” Rashid comments. “Several new players are present. Certain individuals have left, others have arrived, and that’s merely part of the process. But we’ve got experience, we’ve got youth, we feature top-tier cricketers, we employ Brendon McCullum, a superb mentor, and everybody’s buying in to what we’re trying to achieve. Yes, there’s going to be hiccups along the way, that’s typical in cricket, but we are undoubtedly concentrated and fully attentive, for all future challenges.”

The desire to schedule that Queenstown trip, and the appointment of previous All Blacks mindset trainer Gilbert Enoka, implies a specific concentration on developing additional value from this squad apart from a lineup. and Rashid believes this is a particular strength of McCullum’s.

“We feel like a unit,” he expresses. “We experience a familial atmosphere, encouraging each other no matter success or failure, you have a good day or a bad day. We’re trying to make sure we stick to our morals in that way. Let’s make sure we stick together, that unity we have, that brotherhood.

“It’s a wonderful attribute, all members support one another and that’s the environment that Baz and we are trying to create, and we have developed. And hopefully we can, regardless of whether we have a good day or a bad day.

“Baz is quite calm, easygoing, but he’s on the ball in terms of coaching, he’s on it in that sense. And he wants to create that environment. Yes, we are relaxed, we are chilled, but we ensure that once we enter the field we are concentrated and we are competing fully. Much praise belongs to Baz for forming that atmosphere, and with hope, we can continue that for much more time.”