IPL 2018 | Plan was to mix up deliveries against de Villiers, reveals Rashid Khan

Sunrisers Hyderabad have made it a habit of defending low targets this season, thanks to their quality bowling department. And their star bowler Rashid Khan has especially been phenomenal so far, taking wickets in critical situations, and making things easier for the death-over bowlers. Monday's match against Royal Challengers Bangalore was no different as Rashid bagged important wickets of an in-form AB De Villiers that changed the course of the game.

Talking about the wicket, Rashid acknowledged that he had bowled with all his mind and variations to get AB’s wicket which was the turning point of the match.

“Everyone knows he (de Villiers) is a game-changer. The plan was to bowl to him in the good length area and mix it up between leg spin, straight one and the wrong one. I set him up with two-three leg spinners and then the wrong one. That was the plan. It was a big wicket. I got a lot of confidence from that wicket,” said Rashid.

Earlier, during Rashid Khan’s bowling, RCB skipper Kohli’s catch was being dropped by SRH captain Kane Williamson, but Rashid asserted that he was always focusing on the next ball rather than be frustrated by it.

“The wicket was such that chances kept coming. It was also breaking. I was just thinking about bowling in the good length and that would lead to more chances. The catch was dropped, but the full focus was on the next ball,” the 19-year-old spin sensation reckoned.

The game had almost slipped away from Hyderabad’s grasp when Rashid conceded two sixes to Colin de Grandhomme in the 17th over. It was looking like de Grandhomme had almost snatched the match from Hyderabad's hands before the death bowlers saw the match through for the hosts. Speaking about those sixes, Rashid claimed, he was concentrating on dot balls after getting hit in that fashion.

“After I got hit for sixes in the second and third ball, I just focussed on completing the over with dot balls. I knew if I bowl three dot balls and the next over goes well, then we will have a chance again as the wicket was not that easy to bat on. He played two good shots, but then it was about bowling three dots and creating pressure,” said Rashid. 

The Afghanistan star, on an interesting note, also pointed out that he is working to add 3-4 variations to his arsenal and will try to execute them during the historic Test against India this June, scheduled to be played at Chinnaswamy stadium, Bangalore.

“I have been working on “three to four” variations in the nets, and I would try it out when Afghanistan make their Test debut against India,” confirmed the number one ranked ODI bowler.