“Don’t Think…”: Rinku Singh Reveals Chat With Umesh Yadav During 29-Run Chase In Final Over Against Gujarat Titans In IPL 2023

Batter Rinku Singh became a talk of the town after his last over heroics took Kolkata Knight Riders to victory from the jaws of defeat against Gujarat Titans on Sunday. Chasing 205, KKR needed 29 off the last over, when Rinku miraculously smashed five sixes off Yash Dayal and handed over a three-wicket win to his side. Rinku, who played a massive knock of 48 off 21 balls, had pacer Umesh Yadav standing at the non-striker’s end, when he got berserk with the bat. Speaking about his mindset during that thrilling over, Rinku revealed that Umesh had advised him not to think much.

“To be honest I was not thinking much. Just reacting to every ball. I had the inner belief that I can do it because I had also played [a similar] innings last year against Lucknow [Super Giants]. There also I had such a belief and today, too, I showed that belief. Rana bhai told me: “belief rakhiyo, aakhri tak kheliyo (keep the belief, stay till the end). Bhaiya (Umesh) also told me, ‘laga Rinku, sochiyo mat (hit it, don’t think),” he said in a post-match presentation.

Notably, Rinku had played a similar innings for KKR against Lucknow Super Giants in the previous season. The Knight Riders were given a target of 211 to win. Rinku scored 40 off 15 balls before being dismissed, with KKR losing by just 2 runs.

Regarding the match against GT, Rashid Khan led Gujarat from the front and returned with impressive figures of 3 for 37, while Alzarri Joseph (2/27) picked up two wickets, but all their efforts went in vain.

Venkatesh Iyer made 83 off 40 balls for KKR while skipper Nitish Rana played a fine 29-ball 45-run knock.

Earlier, electing to bat, GT rode on Sai Sudharsan and Vijay Shankar’s fifties to post a mammoth 204 for four. Hardik Pandya missed the game as he is unwell and in his place Rashid led GT.

Sudharsan made a 38-ball 53 while Shankar scored an unbeaten 63 off just 24 balls. Besides Sudharsan and Shankar, opener Shubman Gill made 39.

For KKR, Sunil Narine picked up three wickets by giving away 33 runs.

(With PTI inputs)