Rahul Tewatia has affected one of the greatest comeback stories that you’ll ever see during a live sporting event. The southpaw was in the midst of what he himself admitted in the post-match presentation, the worst 20 balls he has ever faced in his career thus far before he turned it on in stunning fashion to not only stage redemption but also shut down his detractors on social media.
Chasing 224 to win, Rajasthan Royals were going along well when Steven Smith and Sanju Samson were smoking to all corners of the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. The seminal moment of the game came in the 10th over when the Royals thinktank decided to promote Rahul Tewatia up the order. The move was looking like an absolute disaster during the first 19 balls of Rahul Tewatia”s innings as he just couldn’t get any timing to strokes, hobbling his way to 8.
With the run-rate soaring past 16, matters came to a head when Sanju Samson even denied to take singles in the 16th over as he smoked Maxwell for three consecutive sixes. Samson was eventually dismissed in the next over and with Tewatai struggling with his timing, it looked like the Royals would need Robin Uthappa to play out of skins to win them the game.
By now, #Tewatia had already started to trend on Twitter with both fans and former cricketers lambasting the Royals management for the decision to promote the southpaw.
It all changed within the next 6 balls as Rahul Tewatia in what was a redemption for ages, smashed Sheldon Cottrell for four consecutive sixes, and five overall to bring the equation down to 21 off 12 balls.
Tewatia scored his last 45 runs in just nine balls and brought up his half-century with another disdainful six in the very next over. He was eventually dismissed by Shami but not before he had set the Royals on their way to the highest run-chase in IPL history.
Here’s how Twitter reacted to Rahul Tewatia’s stunning redemption-