Rinku Singh India’s favour when Australia tried to turn the game upside down in the last few overs in Visakhapatnam on November 23. Amidst mistimed shots and runout chaos, Rinku controlled the game and ensured India get over the line in the first T20I of the five-T20I series.
After a match-winning cameo to prove that he is not out of place in the T20I side, Rinku credited former Indian skipper MS Dhoni for teaching him the secret to finish close matches.
"It's a good thing that our team won the match. It was the perfect situation for me when I went in to bat. I was feeling good playing alongside Surya bhai (Suryakumar Yadav). I was just thinking about what I've done in the past chasing such scores, and focused on staying as calm as I could and take the game to the final over," Rinku told bcci.tv.
"I had a talk with Mahi bhai (MS Dhoni) about what he does in the final few overs. He told me that it's important to stay calm and look to hit straight. That's what I follow. I try to stay calm, and hit my shots with low reaction," the southpaw added.
Rinku remained unbeaten for 22 from 14 deliveries. His last-ball six was not counted as Sean Abbott bowled a no ball. In three innings, Rinku has played in T20Is, he has scored at a stupendous strike rate of 194. He has scored 97 runs from three innings. Earlier this year, he contributed with a 38-run knock against Ireland followed by an unbeaten 37 against Nepal in Asian Games 2023.
In Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023, Rinku rose to fame with five consecutive sixes in the final over against Gujarat Titans’ (GT) Yash Dayal to win the game for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). While the Kolkata-based franchise failed to qualify for playoffs and finish seventh on the points table, Rinku had a sensational season. He scored 474 runs from 14 innings at an average of 59.25 including four half-centuries. His strike rate was 149.52.
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