The 2023 season of the IPL started on a winning note for Gujarat Titans. The game was heading to a last-ball finish when Rashid Khan stepped in at number seven, with GT needing 18 from nine balls. His coolness under pressure shined through as he struck a six and four off his first two balls, propelling the side to victory. Rashid Khan has been one of the finest T20 cricketers in the world, and it is no surprise that he’s produced many valuable batting cameos over the years in the IPL. Here we look at five of his most memorable match-winning knocks.
1) 40 off 21 against CSK, 2022
CSK got off to a stellar start, posting 169/5 in 20 overs. The Titans, on the other hand, faced an uphill battle at 87/5 in the 13th over. That’s when Rashid Khan stepped up and played a magical inning of 40 from just 21 balls, helping Gujarat Titans snatch victory from the brink of defeat with one ball to spare. His innings consisted of three sixes and two fours, and he took Chris Jordan apart in the 18th over, scoring 22 off the first four balls. With his match-winning knocks across the season, Rashid Khan helped the new franchise win its first-ever IPL title.
2) 34* off 10 against KKR, 2018
The Knight Riders won the toss at Eden Gardens and elected to field first, leaving the Sunrisers to start their innings. However, their batting was lackluster, and they managed to score just 138/7 in 18 overs. It seemed like the Sunrisers were doomed to lose until Rashid Khan stepped in at number 8. The all-rounder put on an incredible show of stroke play, smashing 4 sixes and 2 fours for 34 runs off 10 deliveries, helping SRH post a surprising 174/7 in the 20th over. His heroic performance swung the match in favor of the Sunrisers, and they were able to win by 14 runs, with Rashid Khan picking up three wickets for just 19 runs.
3) 31* off 11 against SRH, 2022
The Titans faced a daunting challenge of 195 and had been reduced to 140/5 in 16 overs, with the odds stacked heavily against them. However, a spectacular partnership between Rahul Tewatia and Rashid saw them overcome the odds, as the duo put on an unbeaten partnership of 59 from 24 balls. Rashid, in particular, was outstanding, finishing with 31 runs off just 11 balls, including four impressive sixes, that led the Titans to an unlikely victory on the final ball of the match.
4) 15* off 9 against RR, 2019
After their 2018 final disappointment, the Sunrisers of the 2019 IPL were seeking to take the next step in their progress. SRH began their season with a loss, followed by a game that seemed out of their reach after the Rajasthan Royals scored 198 runs. However, Rashid Khan and Yusuf Pathan collaborated on 32 out of 26 deliveries, with Khan’s eight-ball 15 runs leading the Sunrisers to a comfortable five-wicket win.
5) 17* off 4 against CSK, 2018
CSK put up a remarkable score of 182-6 in the 20 overs allotted to them, but SRH’s response was shaky as they stumbled to 71-4 in the 11th over. Fortunately, skipper Kane Williamson and middle-order batter Yusuf Pathan salvaged their innings with a 79-run partnership. Yet, their efforts were in vain as both batters fell within 11 balls, leaving SRH 26 runs short of their goal from eight deliveries. In a miraculous turn of events, Rashid Khan stunned the Super Kings by smashing 17 off just four balls; even the last two balls of the final over saw him sending the ball soaring with sixes. Dwayne Bravo kept a cool head in the face of pressure, allowing Rashid to take only one run off the final ball. This meant that CSK was able to triumph with a four-run victory.
