How Rashid Khan and Gujarat Titans pulled off a thrilling chase
ESPNcricinfo commentary of the final moments of their incredible game against Rajasthan Royals
ESPNcricinfo staff
10-Apr-2024
Rashid Khan guided Gujarat Titans home in a last-ball thriller • BCCI
Gujarat Titans have done it again. They are incredible at chasing a target down to the point that it almost seems like tempting fate to give them the chance. Here they had to hunt down 197 in conditions where there was no dew, and it still looked bleak when the match winner Rashid Khan came in to bat. They needed 40 off 15
17.3 Avesh Khan to Rashid Khan, 1 run Short and wide outside off. Stops in the surface a little and Rashid cuts it towards deep cover point
17.4 Avesh Khan to Tewatia, 1 run Slower bumper on middle and off. Tewatia waits an eternity for it before dragging it towards deep square leg
17.5 Avesh Khan to Rashid Khan, 1 wide Short and too wide outside off. Rashid swishes and misses, and the umpire has no qualms in stretching out his arms
17.5 Avesh Khan to Rashid Khan, 1 wide Well beyond the tramlines again, and some more exercise for the umpire
17.6 Avesh Khan to Rashid Khan, 1 run What a save! Slower ball dug into the track outside off. Rashid stands up tall and slaps it flat towards long on. Buttler puts in a dive to his left and somehow manages to stop it on the half-volley. He went at it reverse-cupped and got the job done!
35 off 12. Sen to bowl. Can Rashid turn on the heat?
18.1 Sen to Rashid Khan, 1 run Sizzling yorker, honing into the pads. Rashid whips at it and squirts it away towards short fine leg. Might have nutmegged himself too but the important detail is that it is just a single. By the way, had Avesh hit the stumps at the batter's end, Tewatia was well out of his ground
18.2 Sen to Tewatia, 1 wide, Full and angled across the batter well outside off. Beyond the tramlines too, and called a wide
18.2 Sen to Tewatia, FOUR runs Gets it over! Rank wide full toss and Tewatia makes the most of it. Does not middle it but gets enough to clear extra cover. Buttler gives chase from mid off but cannot rein it in!
18.3 Sen to Rashid Khan, 1 run Back of a length outside off. Tewatia sits deep in his crease and swings it away towards deep mid wicket
18.4 Sen to Rashid Khan, (no ball) FOUR runs, Shot! Goes for the wide yorker but errs on the fuller side. Rashid, sitting deep in his crease, gets under it and scythes it over extra cover. And, it gets worse for the Royals because Sen has overstepped...
18.4 Sen to Tewatia, 2 runs Taken at deep square leg but it will not count! Banged into the track just outside off. Gets up very high and Rashid cannot control his pull. Skies it and deep square leg takes it running in. A brace to Rashid
Sangakkara and Samson asking the team to hurry up to avoid an over-rate penalty
18.5 Sen to Rashid Khan, 1 wide Slower ball that goes wrong and slides well down leg. Another wide, and Sen might just be feeling the pressure now
18.5 Sen to Rashid Khan, 1 leg bye Follows the batter well outside leg. Bowls it on a length and Rashid cannot connect with his swipe. The ball pings off the pads into the on side. Rashid livid with himself
18.6 Sen to Tewatia, FOUR runs Four to finish the over! Shortish outside off and this sits up nicely to be hit. Tewatia opens up his stance and boshes it over mid off!
19.1 Avesh Khan to Rashid Khan, FOUR runs Four off the first ball, oh my! Low full toss outside off. Rashid steps across his stumps and then shovels it over square leg. Deep mid wicket cannot get there either!
Right. 15 needed off 6. This has been done before. Avesh to bowl. RR are five minutes behind, and they can have just four fielders on the fence now. All happening here in Jaipur
19.2 Avesh Khan to Rashid Khan, 2 runs Almost a yorker, just outside off. Rashid sits deep in his crease and tugs it towards long on. They hare back for two and RR are lucky there was someone backing up at the keeper's end. That throw was wild
A long conference happening now between Avesh, Buttler and Samson. Long off, deep mid wicket, deep square leg and deep cover point on the fence. 11 needed off 5
19.3 Avesh Khan to Rashid Khan, FOUR runs An outside edge but they all count! Oh my days, the drama in Jaipur! Nails the wide yorker but Rashid somehow gets this away. He swishes hard at it and squirts it off the outside edge past the keeper!
5 off 3 now. Surely GT's game to lose from here?
19.4 Avesh Khan to Rashid Khan, 1 run Low full toss, following the batter on leg stump. Rashid can only dig it out towards extra cover for a single
4 off 2. One hit to the fence will seal it for the Gujarat Titans. Avesh under pressure. The batters perhaps under pressure too. Who will blink first? Avesh goes around the wicket. Long on, deep backward square leg, deep mid wicket and deep point on the fence
19.5 Avesh Khan to Tewatia, 2 runs, OUT Tewatia gets it over mid off, but it does not go for four! And there is a run out too! Short and wide outside off. Tewatia holds his nerve and slaps it over mid off. Buttler puts on his skates and pulls it back into play. The batters get across for two runs comfortably and then they decide to go for the third. Tewatia is always struggling to get there. The throw is accurate enough, and Avesh does the rest, with Tewatia well short. In the middle of all of that, there was a check for a short run. That has been sorted now, and GT need 2 off the last ball!
Rahul Tewatia run out (Buttler/Avesh Khan) 22 (11b 3x4 0x6 42m) SR: 200
Rashid on strike. Two needed off the final ball
19.6 Avesh Khan to Rashid Khan, FOUR runs Rashid wins it for the Gujarat Titans off the final ball! Oh my, this is some finish, and the Afghan Titan has come up trumps just when they needed him to! And the Royals, who looked so good for so much of the game, are no longer invincible! Short, wide and that is just begging to be hit. Not the best ball to bowl at this stage. Rashid lays back deep in his crease, brings those fast hands into play and thumps it over point. Speeds away to the fence and Rashid wheels away in celebration. He gestures to the dugout to not worry while he is there, and today, he has proven it!