"Thankfully the first ball I got was right in the slot"- Sameer Rizvi opens up on his first-ball six against Rashid Khan during CSK vs GT in IPL 2024
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batter Sameer Rizvi marked his arrival in the IPL in some style as he smashed Gujarat Titans (GT) bowler Rashid Khan for a six off the very first ball he faced.
Rizvi got down on one knee and deposited a fuller delivery from the world-class Afghanistan spinner into the stands over square leg. While it caught the opposition off guard and took the Chennai fans by surprise, the 20-year-old claimed that he had a clear thought process while walking out to bat.
Speaking in a video posted by IPL on their official website, Sameer Rizvi had this to say about that six:
"The kind of situation I was sent in in the 19th over, it was clear that I had to go for a big shot if the ball was on my radar. It was as it is the penultimate overs. Thankfully the first ball I got was right in the slot. I backed myself to clear the boundary and that's how I got a six."
The CSK dugout were on their feet as Rizvi smashed Rashid for two sixes in four balls. Coach Stephen Fleming and Ravindra Jadeja were also seen high-fiving each other. Rizvi scored 14 runs off just six balls and helped Chennai get he boost they needed at the back end of the innings to post 206/6.
Sameer Rizvi on learning from CSK players
Being a newcomer in the CSK camp, which has a lot of experienced players, Sameer Rizvi opened up on how keen he has been to learn. He claimed to have asked several players about their mindset at different points in a game and stated:
"Whenever I have any doubts, I keep asking different players about how they would approach a certain situation be it in the field or while batting. I ask them about their mindset before and after they walk out to bat. These are the things I want to learn."
Chennai's massive 63-run win over the Gujarat Titans had many positives, including Rizvi's bright cameo that augurs well for the future of the franchise.