LUCKNOW: It’s all about confidence and the ability to handle the situation, and Rinku Singh has these qualities in abundance. Even before the match started on a hot and humid Sunday night at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium here, Uttar Pradesh’s T20 skipper Rinku made an emotional appeal to his fans to support him and the three-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders even on the Lucknow Super Giants’ home turf.
And his fans kept roaring for him even though KKR was struggling. Rinku disappointed neither his team nor his fans and emerged triumphant, giving a new lease of life to the Ajinkya Rahane-led side. This victory moves them up in the points table, pushing five-time champions Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Super Giants to the bottom.
It was Rinku Singh’s best rescue act, once again proving why he is counted among the best in the game. On a tense night, he showed that he is more than just a finisher. The KKR vice-captain produced a career-best 83 not out to drag his side to 155/7 against LSG, a total that later set up a dramatic Super Over victory for his side.
Undoubtedly, KKR were under pressure for long stretches of the innings, with wickets falling regularly. Rinku, however, held his ground with remarkable composure, absorbed the pressure, and then accelerated when the opportunity arose. His unbeaten 83 off 51 balls gave KKR a fighting score and kept them alive in a match that could easily have slipped away.
The maturity of the innings stood out. Rinku did not force the issue early, but once he settled, he began to control the tempo of the innings with smart shot selection and excellent awareness of the match situation. That ability to switch gears at the right moment has become a hallmark of his batting, and in Lucknow it was on full display. In fact, his magical hitting in the last over, which saw him clear the boundary for four consecutive sixes off Digvesh Rathi, changed the complexion of the game.
LSG also reached 155, pushing the contest into a Super Over and raising the tension inside the Ekana Stadium. Even in the field, Rinku remained influential, taking five important catches during the contest and contributing to KKR’s control in key moments. It was the kind of all-round showing that underlined his growing value to the side beyond just his finishing ability.
After scoring in single digits in three matches this season before striking his maiden half-century against Rajasthan Royals in the last match, Rinku’s performance as vice-captain carried added significance. Leadership has clearly added another layer to his game, and this was a night when he looked comfortable carrying that burden.
For KKR, the win was important because it came in a match where they were pushed to the edge. For Rinku, it was another reminder that his value lies not only in finishing games, but also in rescuing them when the top order falters.
And when it came to describing his batting, Rinku didn’t hold back. “My mindset is usually to see how to play the game (because I usually walk in after 4-5 wickets have fallen), and I think about how to take the game deep. Wickets had fallen, so I wanted to take singles, doubles and then capitalise on the loose balls. Just found out late that a spinner would bowl the 20th over,” he said after the match.
He also celebrated his five catches in the game. “I love fielding, right from my childhood. I enjoy my fielding.”