IPL 2022 | 'I had a self-belief in my batting': Rashid Khan after heroics against Sunrisers Hyderabad

Rashid Khan made his Indian Premier League debut in 2017 and gained success by picking 17 wickets in the same edition. Since then, he has been one of the finest T20 bowlers and has replicated it in the international circuit to bag Men's T20I Player of the Decade 2010-2019.

In the 2022 season, he is plying his trade for Gujarat Titans and has picked up 8 wickets in 8 matches. However, he has delivered his best with the bat in the ongoing season by contributing 71 runs at a strike rate of 197.22.

His recent exploits for the Titans have earned him praise from the cricket fraternity and the fans. In Match 40 of the IPL 2022 between Gujarat Titans (GT) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), the former needed 22 off 6 balls, with Rahul Tewatia and Rashid Khan at the crease. In the first two balls of the over, Tewatia hit a six and took a single.

Rashid tonked a six straight down the ground in the third ball of the over. The next ball fetched a dot for SRH, but Rashid slammed the last two balls for two sixes while securing a sensational victory for the Titans and finishing with an unbeaten 31 off 11 balls.

In the post-match presentation, Rashid reckoned that he had the self-belief of his batting prowess and had worked hard to enhance his craft with the willow for the last two years.

"The feeling is good. You just have it in mind to go out there, have self-belief, keep my shape strong, and hit it," Rashid said.

"I was happy to do it against them (former club Sunrisers Hyderabad), but I was just trying to play my game and believe in my batting which I've been working on the last two years," he added.

Rashid recalled the chat between him and Tewatia, who was at the crease in the last over. He felt that if their best bowler (Lockie Ferguson) can be hit for 25 in the last over, they can also win the game by self-belief and putting all the effort into their shots.

"When it was 22 left. I just told Tewatia that we have given 25 in the last over with one of our best bowlers bowling, and I told him that we needed to have that belief and not panic; anything is possible. Just stay there, keep your shape, and hit it strong, and that was the plan (with Tewatia)," Rashid added.

Earlier in the season, Rashid had played a knock of 41 off 20 against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and secured the nail-biting victory for the team.

Gujarat Titans will be up against Royal Challengers Bangalore on April 30 at Brabourne Stadium in their next league match.