Rinku Singh has stunned the cricket world overnight, smashing five sixes off the final five balls for Kolkata Knight Riders to seal one of the greatest victories witnessed in the Indian Premier League.
Kolkata were set a target of 205 by Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad on Monday morning (AEST), with Rinku requiring 28 runs off the final five deliveries of the match.
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The left-hander went on to do the unthinkable, hitting five sixes off Yash Dayal’s over to send the world into a frenzy and deliver a three-wicket victory.
Legendary Indian fast bowler Zaheer Khan described it as “one of the greatest heists in IPL history” after Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan had earlier claimed a hat-trick for the Titans to leave Kolkata at 7-155.
Singh then turned it around, taking advantage of a number of full tosses bowled by Dayal before hitting the final ball straight back down the ground for six, finishing 48 not out from 21 balls.
The stunning feat also broke the record for most runs by any batter in the final over of an IPL run chase.
Post-game, the match-winner explained his performance came down to a simple mindset.
“I was just trying to hit sixes. I was not thinking a lot, was just reacting to the ball,” he said.
“It kept coming out of the middle. I had belief and it came off in the end.”
Teammate Venkatesh Iyer, who hit a 43-ball 80 batting at three, was full of praise for Singh.
“Somewhere, we lost our way – but Lord Rinku saved the day!,” he said.
“This teaches us that we should never give up until the last ball.”
KKR’s captain Nitish Rana said: “Out of a hundred matches, you will win one like this.”
In the other IPL match overnight, Sunrises Hyderabad defeated Punjab Kings by eight wickets. Aussies Matt Short and Nathan Ellis weren’t at their best with Short scoring 1 and Ellis finishing with 0-28 off three overs for Punjab.
— With AP
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