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Batting for the first time in international cricket, Rinku Singh finished India’s innings to perfection, smashing 38 off 21 balls with three sixes in the last two overs today (August 20), during the second T20I against Ireland at the Malahide Cricket Club, leading to high praise all around.

Batting first after losing the toss, India got off to an indifferent start as they lost Yashasvi Jaiswal and Tilak Varma with the score reading 34-2 off 4.1 overs. Vice-captain Ruturaj Gaikwad and Sanju Samson then steadied proceedings, laying a solid platform.

Rinku Singh came in to bat at No.5 for the first time in international cricket after not getting an opportunity on his debut. He took his time initially as he struggled to find the boundaries before launching an all-out attack in the last two overs.

Rinku’s innings could be divided into two parts – until and after the 18th over. He made only 15 off the first 15 balls he faced, with just one four. Then he turned on his beast mode to slam 23 off the next six balls – and that included his dismissal.

His final assault included shots all around the park – an upper cut over third, a muscled flat six over long-on, a sweetly timed inside-out six over cover, and a couple of slogs over the leg side boundary.

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In the process, Rinku became just the second Indian left-hander to hit three or more sixes in the last two overs (19th and 20th) of a T20I innings, after Yuvraj Singh. Yuvraj has done it twice – against England in the 2007 T20 World Cup (he hit seven sixes including the famous six sixes off Stuart Broad), and against Pakistan in a T20I in 2012, where he hit three.

His 21-ball 38 took India to 185-5, which turned out to be more than enough as they won by 33 runs. It also fetched him the Player of the Match award.

Having already endeared himself to Indian and even global cricket fans with his performances in the IPL, Rinku’s match-winning knock in his first outing in international cricket got social media buzzing with praise.

 

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