For Kolkata Knight Riders' Rinku Singh, the road to success has been a long and arduous one but never did he flinch or give up, and added a glorious chapter to the IPL story by doing the unthinkable here on Sunday.
Not even the world's best batters would have backed themselves to hit five consecutive sixes with their team requiring 29 from the last five balls, but KKR's left-handed Rinku did exactly that, producing a terrific knock that will be remembered and talked about for years.
Rinku becomes overnight star
Rinku's 48 not out from 21 balls included six sixes and one four, with KKR nailing down a 200-plus chase in dying moments in the game. It was perhaps the most unlikely yet a sensational victory in IPL history, against the rampaging Gujarat Titans for whom their stand-in captain Rashid Khan had almost sealed the deal with the first hat-trick of this season.
While Rinku's story will also feature among the 'rags to riches' story with the cricketer now having a contract worth ₹55 lakh with KKR, it is extraordinary because what transpired on Sunday evening was the culmination of all the hard work put in by the 25-year-old and the unwavering faith and support from the KKR franchise.
Who is Rinku Singh?
Hailing from Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh, Rinku comes from a lower-middle-class family. His father delivered LPG cylinders while in the 2015-16 season when they had a debt of Rs 5 lakh, Rinku, while playing for the UP under-19 side, began saving from his daily allowance and even took up the job of a domestic worker where he would have been required to sweep and mop.
"My father struggled a lot, I come from a farmer's family. Every ball that I hit out of the ground was dedicated to the people who sacrificed so much for me," Rinku said after his match-winning knock.
'I had the belief I could do it'
If there was heartbreak at the end of their nervous chase against Lucknow Super Giants last year when he hit a 15-ball 40 with KKR needing 21 from the last over, there was light at the end of the tunnel for Rinku who did one better on Sunday with praise coming from all corners.
Not being able to take his side over the line certainly left a lasting impression as Rinku recalled it on Sunday.
"(I) had the belief that I could do it. Last year I was in a similar situation in Lucknow. Had the belief back then too. Didn't think too much out there. Those shots just happened one after the other. That last one was back of the hand, and I struck it off the back foot," he said.
