IPL 2017, Match 6, SRH v GL: CT Player of the match – Rashid Khan

Chasing a small total of 136 runs Sunrisers Hyderabad completed a wonderful victory over the Gujarat lions in the 6th match of the 10ths season of the Indian Premier League. Batting first, the Gujarat Lions could only manage a 135 runs as Afghanistan star Rashid Khan ran through the Gujarat batting line up. The bowler was picked up by the Sunrisers Hyderabad this time in the Indian Premier League auction which took place in the month of February and the bowler did justice to his selection.

Though the bowler was a bit expensive in the first match as he went for 36 runs in his four overs against the Royal Challengers Bangalore, he was highly economical this time around. The Gujarat batsman struggled against the Afghan bowler right from the start as the 18-year-old mixed up his deliveries beautifully. The bowler picked up 3 wickets giving away just 19 runs in his four overs. He also bowled at a first class economy rate of 4.75 and was once again instrumental in the defending champion’s second straight win of the campaign.

Having said that Rashid Khan is Crictracker’s Player Of The Match.

Mixed up his deliveries well

Rashid Khan mixed up his original leg break and the googly perfectly making it tough for the Gujarat batsmen to pick him. The batsmen looked out of ideas while facing the bowler as Rashid Khan got three LBW’S in the match. The first one to fall victim to the leg spinner’s bowling was New Zealand’s hard-hitting batsman Brendon McCullum who was struggling right from the start. McCullum was caught plumb leg before wicket and had no answer to the delivery.

Rashid got his second wicket when he caught Aaron Finch, one of the biggest hitters of the game, leg before wicket. The ball seemed to miss the leg stump by inches but the umpire judged the Australian batsman out at a score of 3. The replay confirmed that the ball would have gone on to brush the leg stump proving the umpire’s decision right.

Just after Rashid Khan picked up his first wicket Gujarat Lion captain Suresh Raina came into bat. Rashid Khan bowled a beautiful first delivery to Raina which he edged it to David Warner who was standing at the slips in an effort to drive it through the covers. But much to the disappointment of Rashid, who already had started his celebration, Warner dropped the important catch. But Rashid got his man eventually When Raina misjudged a leg break from the bowler and the ball hit his pads. The umpire immediately raised his finger and this time there was no doubt about the dismissal.

Did not let a partnership build

Rashid Khan earned the purple cap for the first time as he bowled wonderfully to get three wickets dismissing three high profile Gujarat Lion’s batters. Rashid did not allow any partnership to build in the middle of the order which helped his team restrict the Gujarat Lion to a low score of 138. Also, he took three of the most important wickets as far as the Gujarat Lions batting line-up is concerned. Suresh Raina and Brendon McCullum have been huge run-getters in the Indian Premier League and Rashid took down both of them.

The wicket of Aaron finch was also a prized one as Finch is considered one of the finest batsman of the shortest version of the game. Rashid is turning out to be a real blessing for the Sunrisers Hyderabad as he performed with the ball in both the games he has been part of so far. Apart from his bowling he also produced a brilliant run out of Dhawal Kulkarni which found the later well short of his crease.

Rashid Khan’s brilliant performance with the ball has earned him 4 stars out of the possible 5 as he helped Sunrisers earn their second victory of the season.