IND vs PAK | Twitter in awe as KL Rahul marks return with disrespectful heave for six off Shadab Khan

IND vs PAK | Twitter in awe as KL Rahul marks return with disrespectful heave for six off Shadab Khan

SportsCafe Desk

By SportsCafe Desk, SportsCafe Editor

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Returning from a long injury lay-off can often have players taking their time to get into a rhythm and retract to their shells a bit in the process. However, KL Rahul was having none of that as he went gung ho in his comeback game against Pakistan, including an utterly savage shot off Shadad Khan.

India diffidently took the reins of the game when play resumed against Pakistan in Colombo on Monday as Virat Kohli and KL Rahul added to their overnight partnership of 24 to take the Men in Blue to 251/2 at the end of 40 overs. While the former took his time and was content knocking the ball around quietly in the initial stages, Rahul confidently took charge of the stand and brilliantly targeted the spinners to go on a tear. The 31-year-old, playing his first competitive game in over four months, struck two maximums and four boundaries off Shadab Khan and Iftikhar Ahmed en route to his half-century, with a shot against the former in the 35th over unarguably being the highlight of the day.

Rahul kicked off the over by sweeping the leg-spinner for a boundary and immediately putting him under pressure. Shadab responded by pitching the ball at length on off-stump with the turn-taking the Kookaburra further away from the bat. However, Rahul seemed to be waiting for the delivery as he stepped down the pitch and with his strong bottom wrist whipped the ball into the stands towards midwicket. The white rock travelled a resplendent 84 meters and while the batter maintained a steely look despite the gorgeous stroke, Shadab could not but break out into sheepish laughter in marvel at the sheer genius of his counterpart.

Shadab eventually ended with figures of 10-1-71-1, his contributions capped off with another boundary by KL Rahul, who was still at the crease on 74 at the time of writing as Twitterati heaped praise on the batter for returning from his long spell on the sidelines with a bang.

What a shot!

Unbelievable

True

Mad man

Crazy shot

That was crazy

Unbelievable

OMG!

Reactions are enough

Superb hitting

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