Rinku Singh once again emerged as the key man for Kolkata Knight Riders as his all-round effort helped the team beat Lucknow Super Giants in a Super Over thriller in Lucknow on Sunday.
After both teams finished on 155 at the end of 40 overs, KKR held their nerve in the Super Over, with Rinku playing an important role both with the bat and in the field.
Earlier in the match, KKR were in deep trouble at 93 for 7 after 15 overs. It was Rinku who brought them out of the collapse with an unbeaten 83 off 51 balls, the best score of his IPL career.
He clocked the innings carefully before attacking in the final over, where he hit four sixes in a row to take KKR to 155 for 7. His knock included seven fours and five sixes.
Lucknow hit the target and the game went into a Super Over.
That’s when Sunil Narine stepped forward. Using all his experience, he dismissed Nicholas Pooran and Aiden Markram to restrict LSG to just 1 for 2, the lowest ever score in a Super Over.
Rinku was again involved in Markram’s dismissal.
Markram tried to throw Narine to the ground, but couldn’t get enough power into the shot. Rovman Powell ran to his left and completed the catch early on, but his momentum carried him over the boundary rope. Before crossing the rope, Powell threw the ball into the air and Rinku ran to complete the catch.
Chasing just two runs in the Super Over, KKR finished the job calmly, with Rinku fittingly scoring the winning runs.
He also made five catches in the game and was named Player of the Match for his work with both the bat and the field.
Speaking after the game, Rinku said: “My mindset is usually to see how to play the game (because I usually come in after 4 or 5 wickets have fallen), and think about how to deepen the game. The wickets had fallen (tonight), so I wanted to take singles, doubles and then capitalize on the loose balls. I found out late that a spinner would bowl the 20th. (On his catch) I love fielding, since my childhood. I enjoy my fielding.”
On catching the Super Over, he said: “I wasn’t quite prepared. I thought I would catch it. He threw it up all of a sudden (smiles).”