"The most underrated finisher duo in IPL" - Fans praise Rashid Khan and Rahul Tewatia's partnership in GT's last-ball win over RR in IPL 2024
Gujarat Titans (GT) defied the odds to end Rajasthan Royals' (RR) winning start to the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) season. The Shubman Gill-led side claimed the points to avoid a third successive defeat following a last-ball thriller at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on Wednesday, April 10.
After conceding 196 in the first innings, GT looked lost in the run chase at one point. The visitors needed 40 runs off the last 15 deliveries when Rashid Khan joined Rahul Tewatia at the crease following Shahrukh Khan's dismissal.
With 35 required off the last two overs, the pair smashed three boundaries off the penultimate over bowled by Kuldeep Sen to bring the equation down to 15 required from the final over.
GT capitalized on RR's on-field penalty for a slow over rate, and despite Tewatia being run out on the penultimate ball, Rashid closed out the chase with a last-ball boundary.
The lower-order pair put on 38 runs off 14 deliveries, with Tewatia scoring 22 runs off 11 balls while Rashid was unbeaten on 24 runs off 11 deliveries.
Fans praised the duo who sealed yet another improbable run chase for GT. Here are some of the reactions on Twitter:
"Great turnaround by Rashid & Tewatia to win this," one user wrote
"Tewatia - Rashid pulled off a heist for GT from nowhere," another user remarked
"The most underrated finisher duo in IPL: Rashid Khan and Rahul Tewatia," another tweet read
"It was just a matter of hitting 3-4 sixes and you need to stay positive" - GT's Rashid Khan
Rashid Khan was adjudged Player of the Match for his all-round display, which included a brilliant spell of bowling as well. He was the pick of the GT bowlers, ending with figures of 1-18 from his four overs, with the key wicket of Jos Buttler.
"Winning the game is more pleasing for me. Happy that I landed the ball where I wanted today and that gave me energy with the bat as well maybe. I haven't bowled much in the last 3-4 months after the surgery and I just lost a bit of grip on the ball and I had a good session after the last game and it really helped me to get back to my best. I really enjoyed my bowling today. It was just a matter of hitting 3-4 sixes and you need to stay positive," Rashid Khan said during the post-match presentation.
GT are next scheduled to face the Delhi Capitals (DC) at home on Wednesday, April 17.
The clash was slated to be played on a later date but was swapped with the KKR-RR fixture due to security concerns in Kolkata during Ram Navami festivities.