After a terrific IPL 2023 campaign for KKR, left-handed batsman Rinku Singh announced his arrival in the international arena with a stunning knock against Ireland in the 2nd T20I against Ireland in Dublin on Sunday.
Rinku Singh made his debut in the first T20I but didn’t get a chance to bat. He got his first opportunity to bat for India in the 2nd T20I and grabbed it with both hands, showing his quality and temperament that made his a fan-favorite and a household name in the IPL 2023.
The 25-year-old Rinku Singh was the best batsman of his KKR team in the season, amassing 474 runs at an average of 59 and a strike rate of 149.
He continued that finishing touch on his debut outing for India, smashing 38 runs off 21 balls with the help of 3 sixes and 2 sixes, delighting the crowd assembled in Dublin and on their TV sets.
Rinku Singh had started steadily his innings, and was 15 runs off 15 balls at the end of the 18th over. In the last two overs, though, the southpaw created havoc and hammered some eye-catching sixes.
Rinku tore into Barry McCarthy, smashing the pacer for a four, followed by two stunning sixes. One was blasted over long-on, and the other, what is also the shot of the day, over cover as the Dublin crowd chanted “Rinku Rinku” at the top of their voice.
In the 20th over of India’s innings, after Shivam Dube cracked two sixes to Mark Adair, Rinku, too, flexed his muscles, walloping Adair over deep mid-wicket with a jaw-dropping pull-shot. Adair dismissed Rinku next but by then the batsman had ensured India crossed over 180 runs, eventually setting a target of 186 for the hosts.
Watch: Rinku Singh smashed 3 sixes in his maiden T20I innings
Achi finish ki chinta kyu jab crease par barkaraar ho Rinku 🤩! 🔥#IREvIND #JioCinema #Sports18 #RinkuSingh #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/QPwvmPPPxK
— JioCinema (@JioCinema) August 20, 2023
Ireland captain Paul Stirling had won the toss and elected to bowl first with rain around.
Ireland playing XI: Andrew Balbirnie, Paul Stirling (c), Lorcan Tucker (wk), Harry Tector, Curtis Campher, George Dockrell, Mark Adair, Barry McCarthy, Craig Young, Joshua Little, Benjamin White
India playing XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson (wk), Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Prasidh Krishna, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah (c), Ravi Bishnoi
