Never lost self-belief even after the worst 20 balls I ever played: Rahul Tewatia
Sharjah: Rahul Tewatia, who became an overnight star by smashing West Indian pacer Sheldon Cottrell for five sixes in an over, says his self-belief did not waver despite the "worst 20 balls" he ever played early in his roller-coaster knock.
His sensational effort helped Rajasthan Royals beat Kings XI Punjab in an incredible IPL match on Sunday night. Early on his his innings, he was struggling to put bat to ball.
"The dugout knows I can hit the ball long. I knew I had to believe in myself. It was a matter of one six," the 27-year-old Tewatia said after the Royals' 4-wicket win.
"Five (sixes) in the over, that is amazing. I tried to hit the leg-spinner, but unfortunately I couldn't. So I had to hit other bowlers."
He hit those big hits in the 18th over off Cottrell, four of them on the trot, to turn the match on its head after the Royals needed 51 runs from the last three overs.
Tewatia struggled to connect with the ball initially after he was sent at Steve Smith's fall ahead of the likes of Robin Uthappa. However, with he wasting the deliveries at the crucial juncture, pressure was building on Sanju Samson.
Asked about it, the player from Haryana said, "Now I am better. The worst 20 balls I have ever played. After then I began to hit so I kept going. I will never forget this knock."
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RCB to play five IPL 2026 home matches in Bengaluru, two in Raipur
Bengaluru (PTI): Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru will play five of their home matches at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium here and the remaining two fixtures at Raipur's Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in the upcoming IPL, the franchise said on Tuesday.
The announcement ended doubts about whether the IPL 2025 winners would be able to play at their home ground, the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, following the stampede that killed 11 fans after RCB's maiden title win.
Since that tragic indecent, the venue has not hosted any major domestic matches including the Ranji Trophy, Vijay Hazare Trophy or even the Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20.
"This significant development comes after months of hard work and close coordination across all concerned authorities with a common goal of bringing the games back to home ground for the fans," RCB said in a release.
"RCB extends its sincere gratitude to the Government of Karnataka, the Karnataka State Cricket Association and the Karnataka Police for their unwavering guidance, cooperation and support in facilitating the hosting of matches in Bengaluru."
"The collective efforts to ramp up infrastructure and safety measures in time for the IPL season have ensured that the defending champions will play the majority of their home games in their home ground," the franchise added.
The franchise said that the two "home matches" in Raipur will be as "per prior commitment."
RCB CEO Rajesh Menon said the fans deserve to watch their team compete at home.
"The M. Chinnaswamy Stadium is more than just our home ground it is where our identity as a team truly comes alive," he said.
"The energy our fans bring to Bengaluru has always been a driving force for our players, inspiring them through every phase of the game. Our fans have stood by us unconditionally, and they deserve the opportunity to watch their team compete at home."
"After detailed discussions and completing the necessary due process around permissions, we are pleased to confirm that RCB will play five matches in Bengaluru. We sincerely thank the Government of Karnataka, the KSCA, and the Karnataka Police for their support in making this possible," Menon added.
