Afghanistan's leg-spinner Rashid Khan was Gujarat Titans' (GT) trump card across their Indian Premier League (IPL)-winning run in 2022. Rashid's run-pinching overs made it challenging for the opposition to gain momentum, similar is what happened in the IPL final on Sunday evening between the Titans and Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Ahmedabad.
The wily bowler gave away just 18 runs in his quota of four overs, picking up the crucial wicket of Devdutt Padikkal while also keeping Jos Buttler in check at one end.
After the win, Rashid said that winning the IPL was the highest point of his short career. Speaking to the official broadcaster post-match, Rashid said, "Biggest achievement of your career is to be part of a winning IPL team. You always want to do well in big competitions like this. Winning tournaments like this, you'll need to put in a lot of hard work and this is certainly a high point of my career."
This was Rashid's second T20 title this year, having won the Pakistan Super League (PSL) with Lahore Qalandars (LQ) in February. He finished as the second-highest (19) wicket-taker for the Ahmedabad-based franchise behind Mohammed Shami (20).
Rashid also explained Gujarat's bowling tactics while commending his teammate Shubman Gill in the process. "We assessed the wicket well; we knew it would be hard to chase down 150. Everyone had to take responsibility, we did well to come back well in the middle overs. He is the only guy whom we didn't want to bowl to and I'm happy that he's part of our team (on Shubman Gill)," the former Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) player said.
Gill scored an unbeaten 45 in the Titans' 131 run-chase at the Narendra Modi Stadium with help from skipper Hardik Pandya (34) and David Miller (32*).
Playing for Lahore, the leg-spinner picked up 13 wickets in nine games before flying to Bangladesh for national duty, missing out on the final against Multan Sultans (MS).
Rashid also won the Big Bash League (BBL) with Adelaide Strikers in 2018.