Rashid Khan’s Sharp Economy Rate Powers GT Past RR in 77-Run Rout

The lights burned bright over Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on May 9. Gujarat Titans posted 229 for 4, then watched Rashid Khan dismantle Rajasthan Royals. The Afghan leg-spinner finished with 4 for 33 from four overs at an economy rate of 8.25. RR collapsed to 152 all out in 16.3 overs. GT won by 77 runs and climbed to second place on the IPL 2026 table.

Rashid Khan did not bowl in the death overs. He did not need to. His spell through the middle overs choked RR so completely that the final four overs became a formality. The chase never reached the explosive stage fans expected.

Shubman Gill Sets the Platform

Shubman Gill smashed 84 off 52 balls to anchor GT’s innings. Sai Sudharsan supported with a steady half-century. The total looked defendable on a surface that offered grip for spinners later. Kagiso Rabada and Mohammed Siraj struck early in the powerplay. Then Rashid Khan entered the attack around the seventh over.

Rashid Khan’s Spell: Precision and Pressure

He struck twice in quick succession. First he bowled Dhruv Jurel with a fizzing delivery that pegged back the off stump. Next ball he ripped a leg-break past Donovan Ferreira and shattered the stumps. RR slipped from 86 for 3 to 93 for 5 in the space of three balls.

Shubham Dubey tried to counter-attack and was hit for six. Rashid responded with a fuller length ball that cannoned into the off stump. Three wickets, all bowled. Then came Ravindra Jadeja, trapped lbw by sharp turn and perfect length. Rashid finished with four scalps and just 33 runs conceded.

• Rashid Khan: 4 overs, 0 maidens, 33 runs, 4 wickets, economy 8.25
• Key wickets: Dhruv Jurel, Donovan Ferreira, Shubham Dubey, Ravindra Jadeja
• Impact: RR reached only 137 for 7 after 14 overs. The innings ended before true death-over acceleration could begin.

Why the Economy Rate Mattered

Rashid mixed pace, flight, and sharp turn on a gripping Jaipur surface. Batters could not read the googly or the quicker arm-ball. Three of his four wickets were bowled — a clear sign of accuracy under pressure. He conceded just over eight runs per over while taking wickets in clusters. That control stopped RR from building any momentum heading into the later stages.

You could feel the shift in the air every time he ran in. The crowd sensed it too. Each delivery carried intent. RR’s middle order, expected to explode in the death overs, instead played tentative shots and paid the price.

Rashid’s Comeback Story Adds Extra Layer

This performance carried extra weight. Rashid missed chunks of previous seasons after back surgery. He returned looking sharper and more confident. The old snap in his wrist was back. The variations that once terrorized the world’s best batters reappeared at exactly the right moment for GT.

Teammates mobbed him after the final wicket. Shubman Gill, the captain, later praised the vice-captain’s leadership and execution. Rashid simply smiled and said he felt happy to contribute in a big way again.

Standings and What Comes Next

GT now sit second with four straight wins. RR remain in the mid-table scramble. The result underlined how one bowler’s control can flip an entire contest. Rashid’s economy rate of 8.25 in this fixture will be studied closely by analysts looking at death-over specialists across the league.

The numbers tell the story clearly. GT defended 229 with ease because Rashid Khan made sure RR never got the platform they needed. His spell turned a potential thriller into a one-sided affair long before the final overs.