Tushar Deshpande produced a calm and controlled final over to defend 11 runs and give Rajasthan Royals a six-run win over Gujarat Titans. Under pressure, he stayed on target, avoided errors and forced the batters to take risks that did not come off.
Deshpande holds his nerve as Rajasthan Royals defend 11 in final over to seal tense win
Deshpande was handed the last over by Riyan Parag despite overs left from Nandre Burger and Sandeep Sharma. It was a call that proved decisive. The over began with Gujarat needing 10 off six balls. He started with a wide, but quickly found his rhythm, landing yorkers and full deliveries that denied room to swing.
Yorkers and control seal the game under pressure
Rashid Khan and Kagiso Rabada tried to take the game deep, but Deshpande kept hitting the blockhole. He mixed full balls with wide lines, forcing the batters to play across the line. One delivery beat Rashid completely, slipping through as he attempted a lap shot. Another yorker led to a single when Rabada could only push it into the off side.
The key moment came in the fifth ball when Deshpande went full and wide. Rashid went for the big hit, but miscued it. Jofra Archer ran across from deep cover and completed a diving catch, removing one of the main threats. That wicket left Gujarat needing seven off the final ball.
Deshpande closed the over with a low full toss angled into the off and middle line. Ashok Sharma tried to clear the infield but failed to get under it properly, getting an inside edge that rolled away. No second run came, and Rajasthan sealed the win.
Rashid later admitted the turning point was not taking the boundary earlier in the over. Deshpande, though, kept his composure when it mattered. His execution at the death made the difference in a tight finish.