"If I wouldn't have gone for runs, wouldn't have got chance to hit sixes" - Rahul Tewatia after GT's thrilling win in IPL 2022
Gujarat Titans (GT) all-rounder Rahul Tewatia haunted the Punjab Kings (PBKS) with the bat once again, smashing sixes off the final two deliveries of the match to hand his team a thrilling win.
However, the game didn't start well for the 28-year-old in the first innings. The likes of Liam Livingstone and Jitesh Sharma smashed Rahul Tewatia all over the park as the all-rounder conceded 24 runs off his solitary over.
However, speaking with Man of the Match Shubman Gill in a video posted on the IPL's Instagram account, Tewatia was delighted that they he could make up for it with the bat. The GT all-rounder said:
"At that time I was thinking of bowling outside off-stump. But he (Livingstone) hit it for four. He was in good form and the wicket was true. I should have bowled a bit fuller outside off-stump. But its okay that got covered as we won the game with a six. (If I wouldn't have gone for runs,) I wouldn't have got a chance to hit sixes."
This is how you react when you see madness!
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"Was practicing that shot for a while" - Rahul Tewatia on the last-ball six
With skipper Hardik Pandya back in the pavilion and 12 runs needed off the last two balls, PBKS would have backed themselves to win the game. However, Rahul Tewatia spoke about how he lined up all-rounder Odean Smith and knew just where he was going to bowl. He stated:
"Wasn't thinking much at that time. Just knew that had to hit sixes to win. I didn't expect him to bowl the first ball into the stumps. I thought he would bowl wide. But he bowled it into the stumps and that's my shot."
Tewatia added:
"I knew he would bowl the second ball wide of the stumps and I was practicing the shot for a while. So I went deep into the crease and the ball was at length so I connected it and it went for a six."
With that thrilling win, GT remain the only unbeaten side in this edition of the IPL having picked up three victories from as many matches.