Ball-by-ball: Six-happy Rinku Singh pulls off a heist for Knight Riders
The final over began with KKR needing 29 away from their target - somehow, Rinku Singh made it happen
ESPNcricinfo staff
09-Apr-2023
Rinku Singh slammed five sixes in a row, off the last five balls, to give KKR victory • BCCI
In one of the most remarkable finishes to any T20 game, Kolkata Knight Riders snatched victory from Gujarat Titans' grasp in Ahmedabad, where the final over began with the visitors 29 away from their target of 205. No team had ever chased down more than 23 runs in the final over to win an IPL game before, and Knight Riders began this 20th over with a win probability of 1.29%, according to ESPNcricinfo's Forecaster.
What followed was carnage, as Rinku Singh took Yash Dayal to the cleaners in a jaw-dropping display of ball-striking. Here's how it all unfolded:
19.1: Yash Dayal to Umesh Yadav, 1 run
Slower delivery at the batter on off stump. Umesh is almost a week early into his stroke and clogs it towards long on for just a single
Slower delivery at the batter on off stump. Umesh is almost a week early into his stroke and clogs it towards long on for just a single
28 off 5 now. Four sixes and a boundary will do it for KKR
19.2: Yash Dayal to Singh, SIX runs
First six ticked off the list! Full toss outside off stump. Rinku throws his hands at it and creams it over wide long off for another maximum!
First six ticked off the list! Full toss outside off stump. Rinku throws his hands at it and creams it over wide long off for another maximum!
19.3: Yash Dayal to Singh, SIX runs
Oh, hello! Oh, hello! Low full toss down the leg side. Rinku gets inside the line very early and shovels it over the deep backward square leg fence!
Oh, hello! Oh, hello! Low full toss down the leg side. Rinku gets inside the line very early and shovels it over the deep backward square leg fence!
19.4: Yash Dayal to Singh, SIX runs
Three sixes in a row! Game on! Another poor and wayward full toss well outside off stump. Rinku uses the width on offer and clobbers it over long off!
Three sixes in a row! Game on! Another poor and wayward full toss well outside off stump. Rinku uses the width on offer and clobbers it over long off!
Little by little, the math caught up with the madness, as Rinku made forecaster believe. It was up at 10% now, from 1.98 at the end of the last ball.
19.5: Yash Dayal to Singh, SIX runs
Six more! Oh my word! Would you believe it?! Half-tracker outside off stump. Rinku opens up his stance and clatters it over long on! This is simply unbelievable!
Six more! Oh my word! Would you believe it?! Half-tracker outside off stump. Rinku opens up his stance and clatters it over long on! This is simply unbelievable!
19.6: Yash Dayal to Singh, SIX runs
KKR WIN! I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING QUITE LIKE THIS IN THE IPL! Short, and outside off stump and Rinku absolutely climbs into it! His eyes light up and he pummels it over the long on fence to seal a miraculous three-wicket victory for KKR! Just let that sink it, Rinku has hit five sixes in a row to send KKR and their fans into absolute delirium!
KKR WIN! I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING QUITE LIKE THIS IN THE IPL! Short, and outside off stump and Rinku absolutely climbs into it! His eyes light up and he pummels it over the long on fence to seal a miraculous three-wicket victory for KKR! Just let that sink it, Rinku has hit five sixes in a row to send KKR and their fans into absolute delirium!
Knight Riders gave up 204 for 4 with Vijay Shankar doing the damage. They still looked on course in the chase with Venkatesh Iyer playing a blinder. But then came Rashid Khan's hat-trick in the 17th over. Rinku was at the non-strikers' end watching his team collapse. He has history when it comes to unreal hitting in the last overs. In 2022, he nearly took Knight Riders into the playoffs going 4, 4, 6 off Marcus Stoinis. They couldn't get the remaining five runs they needed off the last three balls then. But this time, it was an entirely different story.