Rajasthan Royals pacer Tushar Deshpande produced one of the most dramatic finishes of the IPL 2026 season so far, holding his nerve to defend 11 runs in the final over against Gujarat Titans on Saturday.
While his pinpoint yorkers sealed a thrilling win, his animated celebrations after the final ball also caught everyone’s attention.
The pacer stood tall, pointing at the pitch, seemingly signalling ‘this is my turf’.
After the match, Deshpande revealed the emotional meaning behind the gesture.
“That celebration is for my son Arhatt,” Tushar Deshpande beamed after the match.
In this candid chat, Tushar opens up about everything that went into that match-winning last over against GT and what it meant to him 💗 pic.twitter.com/8GE8DjFsbd
— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) April 6, 2026
More than just pure adrenaline after engineering a thrilling last-over win, the moment was deeply personal.
Deshpande and his wife Nabha welcomed their baby boy, Arhatt, earlier this year on January 12. The Royals pacer believes his son's arrival has positively influenced his form.
“Things have been going really well since then. So, I would like to continue that and dedicate this win and the last over I bowled to my son Arhatt.”
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With Rashid Khan and Kagiso Rabada middling the ball well, the odds seemed in GT’s favour even after Jofra Archer’s tight penultimate over.
But Deshpande executed his plans to perfection, delivering a series of clinical yorkers and bowling a tight line to stifle the batters.
The Royals eventually snatched victory from what seemed like a losing position, sparking wild celebrations on the field - none more memorable than Deshpande’s.
“Actually, it just happened naturally. I never really thought much about it. It happened in the heat of the moment - the way we snatched a win from the jaws of defeat,” he explained, trying to formalise his raw emotions.
Deshpande finished the match with a spell of three overs, giving away 24 runs and picking up an important wicket of Rashid Khan. He was the Rajasthan Royals’ most economical bowler on the night.
