Rashid Khan has emerged as one of the standout overseas players in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in recent times. The Afghan spinner is renowned for his ability to handle pressure and his array of bowling tricks, making him a go-to option for his teams.
Moreover, Rashid has shown his batting prowess on several occasions, delivering crucial blows against opposition bowlers and aiding his team in tense situations. Currently representing the Gujarat Titans (GT), he has taken 145 wickets and scored 472 runs in the lucrative league.
Let’s explore three times when Rashid Khan shone with his all-round skills:
#1 24* & 1/18 vs RR, 2024
In the recent match on Wednesday (April 10), the Gujarat Titans faced the Rajasthan Royals (RR). Batting first, RR lost Yashasvi Jaiswal (24) in the fifth over. In the final over of the powerplay, Rashid Khan dismissed Jos Buttler (8).
Despite impactful performances from Riyan Parag (76) and Sanju Samson (68*), guiding RR to 196, Rashid impressed with figures of 1/18 in four overs.
Shubman Gill (72) and Sai Sudharsan (35) provided a solid start for the Titans, followed by a partnership between Rahul Tewatia (22) and Shahrukh Khan (14), keeping the team in contention. Eventually, Rashid Khan’s unbeaten 24* off 11 balls helped the Titans secure a last-ball victory.
#2 34* & 3/19 vs KKR, 2018
In this match, Rashid Khan’s SunRisers Hyderabad faced the Kolkata Knight Riders in Qualifier 2 of IPL 2018. Batting first, Hyderabad had a promising start, courtesy of Wriddhiman Saha (35) and Shikhar Dhawan (34). In the middle order, Shakib Al Hasan (28) and Deepak Hooda (19) made contributions.
However, Hyderabad struggled with their run rate. Rashid, batting at No. 8, showcased his ability to strike the ball by scoring 34* off 10 deliveries, including two fours and four sixes. His impressive cameo helped the team reach a total of 160.
Afterwards, the leg-spinner took the wickets of Chris Lynn, Robin Uthappa, and Andre Russell, ending with figures of 3/19 in four overs. Consequently, Hyderabad won by a margin of 14 runs and secured a place in the final.
#3 79* & 4/30 vs MI, 2023
In May 2023, Rashid Khan delivered his most outstanding performance in an IPL match, despite his team’s loss to the Mumbai Indians (MI). MI had a strong start with Ishan Kishan (31) and Rohit Sharma (29) providing a quick start.
However, Rashid dismissed them swiftly. In his second spell, he also took the wickets of Nehal Wadhera and Tim David. Despite Suryakumar Yadav’s remarkable innings of 103* off 49 balls, Rashid ended with figures of 4/30 in four overs.
In pursuit of a formidable target of 219, the Titans suffered early setbacks, losing key players Shubman Gill (6) and Hardik Pandya (4) quickly. While David Miller (41) and Vijay Shankar (29) showed promising intent, they couldn’t convert their starts into substantial scores.
Just when it seemed like the Titans were headed for a significant defeat, Rashid Khan showcased an array of extraordinary shots to captivate the Wankhede crowd. He finished unbeaten on 79* off 32 deliveries, including three fours and 10 sixes, as Mumbai secured a 27-run victory.
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