IPL 2023: Hardik Pandya Lavishes Praise on Rashid Khan Despite Loss vs MI at Wankhede
Mumbai: Gujarat Titans were reeling at 103 for eight while chasing a mammoth 218 against Mumbai Indians on Friday at the Wankhede stadium. That is when Rashid Khan stepped it up and started dealing in sixes. He, along with Alzarri Joseph took the game deep – but could not take his side over the line. Rashid remained unbeaten on a breathtaking 79* off 32 balls. His innings was laced with 10 sixes and three fours. Following the 27-run loss, GT captain Hardik Pandya heaped praise on the star all-rounder who came good with the bat and had earlier picked up four wickets as well.
“Felt like from our team only he (Rashid) turned up. The way he batted, the way he bowled, it was tremendous. Don’t have to try much (after this result). As a group we weren’t there,” he said at the post-match presentation.
Invited to bat, MI posted 218 for 5 on the back of world number one T20 batter Suryakumar’s 103 not out off just 49 balls and then restricted GT to 191 for 8 to notch up their seventh win this season. This was MI’s fourth consecutive 200-plus score on their home ground.
While Suryakumar played a blinder of an innings which was studded with 11 fours and six sixes, Rohit Sharma (29), Ishan Kishan (31) and Vishnu Vinod (30) chipped in for the home side.
Chasing 219, GT were in danger of being bowled out for a low total, but a brutal unbeaten 79 off just 32 balls from Rashid — which had three fours and 10 sixes — reduced the margin of the defeat drastically.