Rashid Khan's double wicket maiden recipe - simple line and length, knowing batsman's weakness

Sunrisers Hyderabad leg-spinner Rashid, who picked up three wickets against Kings XI Punjab, says bowling dot balls and hitting the right lengths is the key in IPL.

Afghanistan and Sunrisers Hyderabad leg-spinner Rashid Khan, who picked up three wickets against Kings XI Punjab in Dubai on Thursday for a winning cause, threw light on the importance of line-and-length for a spin bowler in T20 cricket.

Rashid, as usual, turned the game by removing an in-form Nicholas Pooran (77, 37b, 5x4, 7x6) to return with figures of 3/12 at an economy of 3.00. He also picked Mohammed Shami in the same over to register a double wicket maiden.

“I am just trying my best to keep it simple and not put too much pressure on myself. On these wickets, you have to adjust to the line and length which is the key. After bowling the first few balls, I realised the right length on this wicket. You also have to know the weaknesses of the batters.

“Pooran was in the mood and he was going after the bowlers. We all know how dangerous he is. He makes it so easy. The captain gave me the ball and I tried to bowl dot balls. Four dot balls and he tried to hit it too hard for a single and it gave me the wicket — a catch at backward point,” Rashid told reporters after the 69-run victory over Kings XI.

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The Bhuvi absence

Rashid said he would miss the on-field discussions with pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar who is out of the tournament due to a hip injury.

The star leggie, however, expects the existing bowlers to maintain the standard set by Bhuvneshwar.

“It is a big loss for us. Bhuvi has been doing so well with the new ball and at death. His experience was helping us a lot. As a senior bowler, he would always discuss the wicket. But we have the guys who are in great form, Khaleel (Ahmed), Natarajan and Sandeep (Sharma),” he said.