In a thrilling Indian Premier League (IPL) encounter, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) achieved a stunning victory against the reigning champions, Gujarat Titans, with a sensational last-over performance by Rinku Singh. The 25-year-old batsman smashed five sixes off the final five deliveries, chasing down a colossal target of 205.
The Gujarat Titans seemed to have sealed the win after their Afghanistan spinner, Rashid Khan, took a hat-trick, leaving KKR struggling at 155-7 in the 17th over. However, the match took an unexpected turn when Kolkata needed 29 runs from the last over. Yash Dayal was given the responsibility to bowl the final over, and after Umesh Yadav secured a single off the first delivery, Rinku Singh unleashed his batting prowess.
Taking advantage of three full tosses, Rinku cleared the boundary and then proceeded to hit the last two balls over the long-on boundary from outside off stump. This incredible effort led KKR to a three-wicket victory and earned Rinku the player of the match title.
During a post-match interview, Rinku Singh said, “I was just trying to hit sixes. I was not thinking a lot, was just reacting to the ball.” He added, “It kept coming out of the middle, I had belief, and it came off in the end.”
Rinku Singh’s remarkable performance set a new IPL record for the most runs scored by a batter in the 20th over of a run-chase. The Titans captain, Rashid Khan, praised Rinku’s incredible shots, saying, “Rinku played unbelievable shots and credit goes to him for the way he played and for the way he finished.”