Rinku Singh infused life into Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 with mind-boggling five sixes off Yash Dayal to seal a famous win for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) against defending champions Gujarat Titans. Rinku became an overnight superstar and earned plaudits from cricket fraternity all around the world. Even former Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) Virat Kohli who is a world-renowned chase master hailed Rinku and admitted that he can never pull off a heist like Rinku in a run chase.
"What the youngsters are doing today is amazing to see. Look at this IPL, I couldn't even think of doing stuff what these young guys are doing. Just the other night, Rinku Singh hits 5 Sixes in last 5 balls which is amazing & never happened something like that. Coming in an hitting five sixes in a row to win a match, I mean what level is this? So that transition is happening is great. It is great to see such youngsters coming up," Kohli told former Indian cricketer Robin Uthappa on Jio Cinema.
After Rinku's heroics, fans drew parallels on social media between him and Kohli. In India's campaign opener at T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia, India needed 48 runs off last three overs with Kohli in the middle. While Kohli started big-hitting in the penultimate over against Haris Rauf. Rinku left it to absolute last by tonking Dayal for five consecutive sixes.
High-on confidence Rinku has been in sensational form this season. After a single-digit score against KKR's opening match against Punjab Kings, he scored 46 runs against RCB at Eden Gardens. In the next clash, he led KKR to victory with an unbeaten 48 off just 21 balls. Even in a mammoth run chase against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on April 14, Rinku kept the game alive till the last over. Rinku smashed an unbeaten 58 off 31 balls including four fours and four sixes. It was also the 25-year-old's maiden IPL half-century.
Kohli also had an answer to his strike rate critics. In the clash against Delhi Capitals (DC), Kohli scored a half-century and became the first batter to score 2,500 runs at a single venue (M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru).
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