Rinku Singh made history today by hitting 5 sixes in the 5 deliveries to win the match for Kolkata Knight Riders. KKR needed 29 runs of the last over and had Umesh Yadav on strike, he took single in the first ball to give the strike to Rinku. Needing 28 runs of last 5 balls, Rinku did what nobody expected.
Rashid Khan led Gujrat Titans in this game in Hardik Pandya’s absence due to illness. He elected to bat first after winning the toss. Gujrat was able to score 204/4 in 20 overs thanks to Vijay Shankar’s 63* in 24 balls (5 sixes, 4 fours). For KKR, Sunil Narine took 3 wickets.
In the second Venkatesh Iyer and captain Nitish Rana took the charge, Iyer scored 83 runs of 40 balls whereas Rana scored 45 of 29 balls. Then Gujrat’s captain stood up for his side taking a hat trick in his last over to almost seal a victory. But who would have though Rinku will do something magical to win it for Kolkata Knight Riders in the end.
Rinku Singh’s story has been very inspiring, from working as a sweeper to playing in IPL. He has gone through difficult times, been hurt, and had financial difficulties. And yet he persisted.
In Lucknow, where he lives in two cramped rooms within the gas agency’s storage area, Rinku’s father transports LPG cylinders from an LPG gas agency. The 20-year-old had begun to financially support his family with the paltry allowances and fees he received for representing the State at the junior level, but all of his earnings went towards repaying previous loans the family had obtained from other sources.
As the top player in a tournament in Delhi, he had also won a motorbike, which he donated to his father to help him distribute the bulky gas cylinders.
Rinku’s IPL journey has been very inspiring and we hope does well in future as well.
Great match which has lit up the atmosphere of IPL, all thanks to Rinku Singh.