IPL 2022, PBKS vs GT: Rahul Tewatia reveals plan behind match-winning cameo against Punjab Kings

Mumbai: For the second consecutive time in the Indian Premier League (IPL) Rahul Tewatia did the incredible against Punjab Kings. As Tewatia hit two successive sixes to pull off a heist and help Gujarat Titans a six-wicket win at the Brabourne Stadium on Friday.

It takes a special kind of performance to pull off something spectacular like this, but Tewatia maintained things simple, which may have helped him pluck the victory from the agony of defeat. Tewatia had done something similar against the Kings in IPL 2020 when he smashed five sixes in a stunning win in Sharjah.

“Amazing feeling. There was nothing to think about, ” said Rahul Tewatia after the match.

“It’s satisfying to win a game. In the last over, there wasn’t much to think about; we just had to hit sixes, and that’s what David (Miller) and I were talking about. I knew it had gone off the middle of the bat on the last-ball six, so it would clear the fence.” He added.

When Tewatia came to the crease after the fall of skipper Hardik Pandya’s wicket, Titans needed 18 off five balls from the final over bowled by Smith. It came down to 12 from two after David Miller had clattered a boundary off the third ball.

With 12 runs to win off the last two balls of the match, Rahul Tewatia was on strike against pacer Odean Smith. The southpaw just played three balls and scored an unbeaten 13 at a strike rate of 433.33 to lead his side to a 190-run chase in 20 overs to finish the match in style.

He continued, “I planned against Smith, sensing he bowls wide outside off to me, and it worked out beautifully for me. The atmosphere in the changing area is quite relaxing. Gary Kirsten, Ashu Bhai (Ashish Nehra), and the support crew did an outstanding job. We’re only told to follow through on the plans and make sure they’re properly backed up.”

With their third successive win, the Hardik Pandya-led side moved up to second place in the points table. Next, they’ll face the SunRisers Hyderabad on Monday (April 11).