IPL 2023: Lesser-known facts about KKR star Rinku Singh
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) pulled off an absolute heist versus Gujarat Titans (GT) on Sunday thanks to Rinku Singh. The southpaw slammed Yash Dayal for five consecutive sixes when KKR needed 28 off the final five balls. KKR won the contest by three wickets, claiming their second win of the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL). Here are some lesser-known facts about Rinku Singh.
A once-in-a-lifetime knock from Rinku
Chasing 205, KKR were 128/3 when Rinku arrived in the middle. Rashid Khan claimed a hat-trick in the 17th over as KKR were reduced to 155/7. While GT's win looked certain at this point, Rinku hadn't lost hope. He did the unthinkable as KKR achieved the highest target in the last over off an innings in IPL. Rinku remained unbeaten, scoring a 21-ball 48*.
Rinku's humble beginnings
The southpaw was born on 12 October 1997, in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh. Rinku, third among five siblings, belongs to a humble background as his father Khanchandra Singh worked in an LPG distribution company. In his early days, he considered working as a sweeper to help his family financially. However, he eventually decided to put his entire focus on cricket.
Debut in professional cricket
Rinku represented Uttar Pradesh at the Under-16, Under-19, and Under-23 levels. At 16, he made his List-A debut for UP in March 2014, scoring 83 in that contest. His First-Class debut came in the 2016-17 Ranji Trophy. He was on a roll in the 2018-19 Ranji season, scoring 953 runs in 10 matches at 105.88. The southpaw finished as the third-highest run-getter that season.
Break in IPL
Rinku's first break in IPL came in 2017 when Punjab Kings bought him for Rs. 10 lakh. He didn't play a single game that season. KKR acquired him for Rs. 80 lakh in the 2018 season, where he played four games, scoring 29 runs. While he couldn't do much in the next two seasons either, he missed IPL 2021 due to an injury.
The breakthrough 2022 season
Despite Rinku's ordinary returns, KKR went after him in the 2022 mega auction and acquired his services for Rs. 55 lakh. The move paid dividends as the southpaw hammered 174 in seven games at a strike rate of 148.72. His match-winning 23-ball 42* vs Rajasthan Royals (RR) and 15-ball 40 vs Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) grabbed eyeballs. The southpaw hence was retained.
Did you know?
In May 2019, Rinku was reprimanded by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) after he took part in the Ramadan T20 Tournament in Abu Dhabi without seeking prior permission to play. He was handed a three-month suspension.
A look at his IPL career
Rinku has raced to 349 runs for KKR in 20 matches at 24.92 while striking at 139.04. As mentioned, he scored 174 runs in seven matches last season and played a couple of crucial cameos coming down the batting order. Overall, he has scored 1,392 runs in 78 T20s at 26.76 (SR: 139.75). He has slammed six fifties in this format.
Feats accomplished by Rinku
Rinku shattered many records during his breathtaking knock vs GT. He became the first player ever in T20 history to hit five consecutive sixes in a run-chase (20th over). These were also the most runs scored off the 20th over (29) in a successful chase. Overall, he became only the fourth batter to slam five sixes in an over in the IPL.
