IPL 2020, RR vs KXIP: Rahul Tewatia struggled to connect with the ball initially, scoring 8 of 19 balls.© Instagram
Rahul Tewatia, who became an overnight star by crushing West Indies fast pitcher Sheldon Cottrell by five sixes in one over, says his self-confidence did not waver despite the “worst 20 balls. “which he played at the beginning of his roller coaster hit. His sensational effort helped the Rajasthan Royals beat Kings XI Punjab in an incredible IPL match on Sunday night. Early in his innings, he was struggling to get the bat on the ball.
“The dugout knows I can hit the ball a lot. I knew I had to believe in myself. It was a question of one and six,” said Tewatia, 27, after the Royals win by four wickets.
“Five (six) in the end, that’s incredible. I tried to hit the spinning leg, but unfortunately I couldn’t. So I had to hit other bowlers.”
He landed those big hits at 18 over Cottrell, four of them trotting, to turn the game around after the Royals needed 51 runs from the final three overs.
Tewatia had trouble connecting with the ball initially after it was sent in Steve Smith’s knockdown ahead of players like Robin Uthappa.
However, with him wasting deliveries at the crucial juncture, the pressure was mounting on Sanju Samson.
When asked about it, the Haryana player said: “Now I’m better. The 20 worst balls I’ve ever played. After that, I started hitting, so I kept going. I will never forget this hit.”
Promoted
Rajasthan has recorded two wins in two matches and is second in the IPL points table, behind Delhi Capitals.
They will then face Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on September 30.
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