Decoding Rashid Khan's lackluster run in IPL 2024
Gujarat Titans' campaign in the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) has come to an end. Winners of the 2022 season and runners-up of the last edition, GT could only manage five wins in 14 league-stage games this year (NR: 2). Rashid Khan's poor run with the ball was a major reason behind their below-par show. Let's decode Rashid's struggles in IPL 2024.
Why does this story matter?
Rashid is hailed as arguably the best bowler in the history of the T20 format. He also made a significant mark in the past editions of the IPL. However, he looked far away from his best in the 2024 edition. He was neither able to control runs nor take wickets. His ordinary show hurt the Titans big time.
His numbers in IPL 2024
Rashid could only manage 10 wickets across 12 games this year. The leggie claimed at least 17 wickets in each of his other seven IPL campaigns. The veteran's economy of 8.40 is also the worst in comparison to his other seasons. While he averaged 36.70 in IPL 2024, the spinner didn't average even 23 in any other year.
Rashid's joint-most expensive over (T20s)
In Match 45 versus Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Rashid conceded 29 runs in the 16th over of the second innings. Will Jacks hammered him for four sixes and a boundary. As per ESPNcricinfo, this is Rashid's joint-most expensive over in his 425-match T20 career. He conceded as many runs in an over against South Africa in the 2016 ICC T20 World Cup game in Mumbai.
Comparing his numbers to other bowlers
Meanwhile, IPL 2024 has been a tough season for bowlers as eight of the nine highest team scores have been recorded this year. As per ESPNcricinfo, Rashid's economy of 8.4 is the fourth-best among spinners with at least 10 wickets in the season. The Afghanistan star is only behind Sunil Narine (6.64), Axar Patel (7.66), and Varun Chakravarthy (8.34).
Here are his overall IPL numbers
Rashid has returned with 149 wickets across 121 IPL games at an average of 21.82. The tally includes two four-wicket hauls and a hat-trick. His economy of 6.82 is the second-best among bowlers with at least 65 IPL wickets. While he is GT's highest wicket-taker with 56 scalps, he claimed 93 wickets for Sunrisers Hyderabad.
