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Gujarat Titans’ (GT) spinner Rashid Khan produced a match-winning spell to help his side register a dominant 77-run win over Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Jaipur on May 9. The victory marked GT’s fourth consecutive win in IPL 2026.
During the post-match presentation, Player of the Match Rashid reflected on returning to rhythm and recovering from injury. “Quite happy. It was something unusual for me (last two seasons),” Rashid said. “This season, it is more about enjoying myself and hitting the right areas consistently. Happy with that. When I had that surgery, I took only two months to get back. That time, I made a huge mistake (of coming back too soon). Last year, when the IPL was over, I had 2-3 months off and tried to work on my fitness. The rhythm I bowl through the crease – it was something I was missing. Had a good Hundred competition and then kept on.”
Defending a massive target of 230 runs, Gujarat bowlers kept Rajasthan under pressure throughout the chase. Rashid played the key role in the middle overs as his spell completely shifted the match in Gujarat’s favour. He first dismissed wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel (24) and then removed Donovan Ferreira (4) in the same over.
Speaking about his bowling plans against Rajasthan, Rashid added, “The moment I bowled the first ball, I knew there was something for me. Pace was something I was trying to mix up. If I leave the stumps, it gets easy for the batters to take a single or hit a boundary. Wanted to hit a length but also the line. I made that move in my mind – that if I pitch it in the right area, there will be help. The moment it left my hand, I knew.”
The Afghan spinner later returned to dismiss Shubham Dubey (15), followed by veteran all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja (38), to complete his four-wicket haul. He conceded 33 runs from his four overs at an economy rate of 8.25 to restrict Rajasthan to 152 within 17 overs. So far this season, the 27-year-old has picked up 15 wickets from 11 matches at an economy rate of 8.26.
Speaking about working with Indian spinners, Rashid said, “It is so good. We have been together for a long time. Important to have those players around you. When I come here, I have those good conversations (on how to bowl at different venues in India), and I share my international experiences. Modern cricket demands more variations. Sai Kishore is working hard on his variations and working hard on a wrong’un – looking forward to seeing it (in matches).”
With this big win, Gujarat jumped to second position in the points table with seven wins from 11 matches. They will next face Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on May 12.
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