Rinku Singh has been an absolute embodiment of greatness in the middle-order for Team India in the shortest format in international cricket. Time and again, he has bailed India out of precarious situations and has helped India rule the roost in matches; both in India and in overseas conditions.
In the 2nd T20I between India and South Africa on 12th December 2023, India were reeling at a precarious situation. Having lost both their openers for ducks, India were staring down the barrel.
Both Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill went back to the hut without troubling the scorecard and this invited trouble for the Indian cricket. Tilak Varma and Surya Kumar Yadav steadied the ship for India and took them from 6/2 to 55/2 before Varma was dismissed by Gerald Coetzee.
In came to bat Rinku Singh and he simply was breathing fire with the willow. Singh scored 68* runs in 39 deliveries and his knock was packed with 9 fours and 2 sixes. He helped India post a formidable total of 180/7 in 19.3 overs, before it started raining.
In the final delivery of the 18th over off the bowling of Aiden Markram, Singh went berserk and hit a shot down the ground, which eventually caused a big crack in the media centre at St. George’s Park in Gqeberha. The image immediately started floating on the internet and the netizens went into a frenzy.
Incidentally, it was the last scoring shot of Rinku Singh as rain played spoilsport in the fag end of the innings of India.
South Africa had a revised target of 152 runs
After the DLS method was implemented, South Africa needed to chase 152 runs in 15 overs. The Proteas did so comfortably in 13.5 overs and took a 1-0 lead in the series. Reeza Hendricks top-scored with a fiery knock of 49 runs in just 27 deliveries.
Skipper Aiden Markram too played well and scored 30 runs in 17 balls. For India, Mukesh Kumar was the pick of the bowlers as he took 2 wickets in the game.
India lock horns with South Africa on 14th December 2023 for the 3rd and final T20I at the Wanderers Stadium.
