"Gujarat Titans are lucky to have a player like Rashid Khan"- Mohammad Kaif after MI vs GT in IPL 2023
Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif lauded Gujarat Titans (GT) all-rounder Rashid Khan for his rearguard effort against the Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Wankhede Stadium on Friday.
Rashid didn't only pick up four wickets, but also scored a blazing 79* to ensure that GT don't get absolutely hammered by the hosts. He showed how good he is with the ball on a pitch that didn't have much assistance for spinners, and also turned up with the bat to reduce the deficit of defeat.
Speaking to Star Sports, Mohammad Kaif explained how lucky the Gujarat Titans are to have the services of a world-class all-rounder like Rashid Khan. He said:
"Gujarat Titans are lucky to have a player like Rashid Khan. He isn't just a special bowler but also a good batter. He never gives up. Almighty has been benevolent on GT as they got a world-class cricketer in Rashid."
Felt like only Rashid Khan turned up from our team: Hardik Pandya
GT skipper Hardik Pandya was visibly disappointed with his team's performance against MI. He credited Rashid for his incredible innings with the bat, but also claimed that Gujarat players didn't execute their plans and didn't have a great body language.
On this, Hardik stated:
"Felt like from our team only he (Rashid) turned up. The way he batted, the way he bowled, it was tremendous. Don't have to try much (after this result). As a group we weren't there. In bowling also we were very flat. Didn't have clear plans or didn't execute. Wicket was very flat but I felt we gave 25 runs extra."
The Gujarat Titans are still comfortably placed in the table and a win from their remaining two games would seal their spot in Qualifier 1. Mumbai, meanwhile, will play a crucial game against Lucknow Super Giants On Tuesday, May 16.