Quinton de Kock struck a sensational hundred and shared a record opening stand with skipper K L Rahul as Lucknow Super Giants pipped Kolkata Knight Riders by two runs in a last-ball IPL thriller to seal their play-off spot on Wednesday.
De Kock gave a batting masterclass enroute to an unbeaten 140 off 70 balls as he and Rahul (68 not out off 51) fired LSG to 210 for no loss, the highest opening stand in IPL history. But KKR ran out of steam just before the finishing line and their innings ended 208/8 in 20 overs. Just when it looked KKR were down and out, Sunil Narine (21 not out off) and Rinku Singh (40 off 15) started smashing the LSG bowlers around the ground to reignite hopes of the dug out.
KKR needed 38 runs off the last two overs and they both brought the equation down to 21 off the final over.
Rinku came up with couple of sixes and a four to make it five off the last three balls but he fell to a special one handed catch from Evin Lewis to bring LSG back into the game.
Meanwhile, KKR head coach Brendon McCullum says young batter Rinku has been their find of the ongoing IPL season and the franchise will invest in him in the coming years.
Rinku earned high praise from McCullum.
"Absolutely he (Rinku) sure has (been the find of the season). Rinku is a player who KKR will invest in, no doubt, over the next few years and we will see him really progress and may even challenge for higher honours in time," McCullum, who is set to take over as England's next Test head coach, said at the post-match press conference.
The 24-year-Rinku, a left-handed batter and an off-break bowler, has been a revelation for KKR this season. Among others, he played a match-winning unbeaten knock of 42 against Rajasthan Royals at the Wankhede Stadium.
"Not too many people are able to bat in middle-order and sort of be able to try (and) pull games out of the fire like he (Rinku) has almost done for us on a couple of occasions this year. Just a great guy and (I) am really pleased for him.
"I am heading in a different direction with the challenge of being able to coach England in front of me, but I will follow all KKR boys, particularly Rinku as well and all the guys I had to do fair bit in the last few years," McCullum signed off.
