Rashid Khan feels right at home bowling at Hove.

He just wishes more of his fellow countrymen could watch him play.

The Afghanistan star is likely to be backed by his own personal fan club when Sussex Sharks take on Somerset in the Vitality Blast tomorrow (2.30pm).

They need to give home fans something to cheer after two fairly comprehensive defeats and a rain-off to date.

Rashid should have left the scene by now, headed for the Caribbean Premier League.

His initial deal ran out after Wednesday’s defeat by Gloucestershire, which was all too brief a stay.

But that has been extended to the delight of player, club – and those noisy, colourful Afghan cricket fans who are cheering him on at Hove.

Rashid told The Argus: “It wasn’t that difficult for me to decide to stay here.

“I wanted to play more matches.

“I cancelled the CPL because playing here I get used to the conditions.

“We haven’t played that much because of the rain.

“I wanted to contribute to Sussex winning and it is good preparation for me to be in the next ODI World Cup, to get used to the conditions and playing in England.

“I was approached by many teams in the CPL but I cancelled it.

“Last year I played for Ghana and they were looking for me again but I can’t go for three or four matches “It’s better to play eight or nine matches in this league.”

Rashid appreciates the backing of the local Afghan community who were thrilled by his two wickets against Gloucestershire.

But conditions in the middle, where batsmen struggled to time the ball on a deceptively slow wicket, also suited him.

Not that the world’s top Twenty20 bowler needs helpful conditions.

He said: “The wicket is really good. If you are a good enough bowler, you can do well.

“If you have the variation and the skills, I think it is a very good wicket “And when it comes to batting, if you play according to the conditions, according to the situation, it is a very good wicket to bat on.

“We saw Aaron Finch score a hundred here (for Surrey recently).

“We can’t say it is batting or a bowling wicket.

“It is a batting AND bowling wicket but you have to be positive.”

The much-vaunted Sussex attack were certainly positive on Wednesday. Given just 127 to bowl out, they did enough to make something of game of it.

There were a few fleeting moments about two-thirds of the way through the reply when one wondered whether Sussex would rescue matters.

Tymal Mills had rotten luck, a few miscues flew clear of hands and Rashid might reflect he deserved more than his 2-14 from four bamboozling overs.

He said: “There was no option for us but to get them out. If we wanted to win the match we needed to take ten wickets. It only happens three or four times in ten.

“I thought we bowled really well, according to the plan. But we didn’t have enough runs on the board to enable us to win the match.

“We’ll learn from it. We got positive things from it.

“Hopefully we don’t repeat things we did batting – negative things.”

Rashid is certainly learning. But, asked what difference he sees between the Blast and other big T20 leagues, the answer is perhaps a surprising one.

He said: “I don’t think there’s much difference.

“The only thing is most of the matches are not shown live.

“That’s good. Everyone is watching you. People want to see you play.

“This wicket (at Hove) is pretty good for me, it felt like playing in Asia!

“But you have to do well, it doesn’t matter if the pitch us supporting you. As a good bowler, you have to use your skills, your variation.”

Afghanistan cricket is on the up – and not just thanks to Rashid Khan.

The Sussex spinner has his own fan club at Hove.

Many of the Afghan community in Brighton and Hove also enjoy playing the game.

Kabul Zalmi and Afghan Sultans are respected clubs in the Brighton leagues and there is a strong contingent at Palmers, based on Hove Rec.

Jano Khan, second team skipper at Palmers, said: “For some of the guys, Wednesday was the first time they saw Rashid Khan play live.

“We have a big Afghan community who got together here to see him. We have 400 or 500 around here and the kids are getting into cricket as well.

“We will be back every home game he plays. The kids, everybody, really enjoyed it.”

Khan sees cricket growing in popularity on annual trips back to Afghanistan.

He added: “Everywhere there is just cricket.

“Rashid for us is like David Beckham walking around. He is a big name for Afghan people all over the world.”