This Player is Unbelievable: Harbhajan Singh lauds Shimron Hetymer
Hetmyer played a winning knock against GT [iplt20.com]
Rajasthan Royals rode on Shimron Hetmyer's breathtaking half-century knock on Sunday, April 16 to decimate Gujarat Titans by 3-wickets at Narendra Modi stadium, Ahmedabad.
After being put to bat first, the Titans set a target of 178 runs for the Royals. In response, the visiting team chased down the target with three wickets and four deliveries to spare, thanks to Hetmyer's unbeaten 56 off just 26 balls.
Shimron Hetmyer's stellar performance against the Gujarat Titans' top-class bowling did not go unnoticed, with former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh showering praise on the West Indian batter. Speaking at the post-match conference, Singh had this to say about Hetmyer's heroics:
"This player is unbelievable. Hetymer is batting at a different level. Whenever the ball is in his zone, he hits a six, and when it is not in his zone, he takes singles and doubles."
"Buttler is doing the job at the top of the order and Hetymer is batting sensibly down the order. It is not that he is only hitting, he is batting properly and when you bat properly, these are the results you get."
Rajasthan Royals were in spot of bother, reeling at 55/4 in the 11th over when Shimron Hetmyer came to the crease and joined hands with Sanju Samson (60 off 32). The duo added 59-run together in just 4.3 overs, which proved to be the game's turning point.
Pointing out that the Rajasthan Royals have more than one match-winner, the former cricketer-turned-commentator stated that Shimron Hetmyer is a reliable finisher who can deliver when it counts, making the team less reliant on Jos Buttler.
"He hit Rashid Khan straight down the ground and then in the end, stayed back and hit. The ball was not that short, that is the West Indian power. No one else could have hit that. Credit to the entire Rajasthan team. They played fantastic cricket. Buttler didn't fire but don't forget that there is another guy down the order - Hetmyer."
Following their win over the Gujarat Titans on Sunday, the Rajasthan Royals have now ascended to the top of the IPL 2023 points table, having secured four victories in five matches. With a lineup brimming with star players, they will be eager to continue their winning run and notch up more wins in the coming matches.