IPL 2026: Rashid Khan Ends 34-Innings Drought with First Three-Wicket Haul Since April 2023

DC vs GT: Gujarat Titans' spin wizard Rashid Khan had a phenomenal bowling display as he spun a web and bamboozled the batters of the Delhi Capitals. Barring KL Rahul, Pathum Nissanka, and David Miller, not a single batsman managed to score any substantial runs. The architect of this bowling display was, of course, Rashid Khan.

There was even a rare moment of surprise early in the chase when Rashid beat KL Rahul with a sharply turning legbreak that pitched around off and spun past the bat, an unusual sight given Rashid's reputation as a bowler who relies more on variations than big turn.

Coming into the attack as early as the fifth over, Rashid made an immediate impact, conceding just four runs. At that stage, Delhi were cruising, but his control over line, length, and pace began to choke the scoring. Even as Pathum Nissanka and Rahul looked comfortable against pace, they struggled to break free against Rashid's accuracy.

Vintage Rashid Is Back?

Despite not being at his best over the past couple of seasons, Rashid produced a vintage spell of 3 for 17 - his first three-wicket haul in the IPL since April 2023. He dismissed Nitish Rana after correcting his length following an earlier boundary, before removing Impact Player Sameer Rizvi with a perfect googly that crashed into the stumps. Soon after, he accounted for Axar Patel, inducing a miscue that was safely taken in the deep.

Equally significant was how he kept Rahul in check. Despite chasing a steep target, Rahul managed just six runs off nine balls against Rashid, continuing a trend of caution against the Afghan spinner. Reflecting on his form, Rashid said in the post-match conference, "I didn't bowl that well last year. But it's not like if you have a bad season, you are gone, everything is exposed, and people are playing you [easily]. It's just about your line and length. I feel like that's something I missed last year."

He further said that he is focused on the basics, and he is not trying to overthink his capabilities. The Afghan spinner also said that he has faltered in the past when he has

He added, "This year I am just focusing on that and trying not to overthink. I feel I bowled well in the last two games as well, and I conceded runs only when I missed my length."
Last season had been a difficult one for Rashid, where he managed just nine wickets in 15 matches at an economy of 9.34 - his worst IPL return. Part of that struggle, he revealed, stemmed from rushing back after back surgery following the 2023 ODI World Cup.

What Lies Ahead For Rashid Khan?

Speaking about his workload going forward, Rashid said, "I enjoy ODIs, and I'm in good shape to play ODIs for a long period of time for Afghanistan. But I need to be careful with how many I play and not to put too much load on myself. "In Test cricket, he was candid: "Red-ball cricket is something that looks a bit difficult for me to keep playing. I can play one Test in a year, but I don't think I can play more than that."

Addressing the possibility of featuring in an upcoming Test against India, he added, "I have already played one [against India] before, so I will just take it easy and get myself ready for the [2027 ODI] World Cup. Imagine something happens to my back in that Test match... And I can't play 100 Test matches. If I am playing one Test in a year, I can't play for 100 years. So there is no target in Test cricket."

Lightening the mood after the game, Rashid joked during the presentation, "Allrounder, I think. Perhaps you have forgotten because I haven't hit a six so far this IPL." and when reminded about last season, he quipped, "Don't remind me, yaar. It was too bad."