Sensational Rinku scripts miracle victory for KKR against GT

Rinku Singh scripted one of the most extraordinary victories in T20 history for the Kolkata Knight Riders against the Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad on Sunday. Needing 29 off the final over, Rinku smashed an unbelievable five sixes off the final five deliveries against Yash Dayal to secure an epic three-wicket win for Kolkata against the defending champions.

Gujarat were well on course for victory after half-centuries from Sai Sudarshan and Vijay Shankar powered them to a score of 204 for 4 and a Rashid Khan hat-trick derailed KKR’s run chase. However, Singh stepped up at the decisive moment, helping KKR score the most runs in the 20th over of a chase in T20 history to complete a miracle win for the Men in Purple in Ahmedabad.

It was a rollercoaster of emotions at the Narendra Modi Stadium, and the action started with Shubman Gill and Sai Sudarshan giving Gujarat a strong powerplay, managing 54 in the opening six overs. The opener couldn’t convert his start into a big score, but Sai Sudarshan anchored the innings to perfection after Gill’s dismissal, getting to his half-century in 38 deliveries.

Sudarshan’s knock also allowed the Titans to go hard at the death and promoted to number five ahead of David Miller, Vijay Shankar repaid Gujarat’s faith. The all-rounder smashed a 21-ball half-century that included 4 fours and 5 sixes to help GT score an astonishing 45 runs off the final 12 deliveries from Lockie Ferguson and Shardul Thakur, taking the team past the 200-run mark.

Chasing 205, KKR lost openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and N Jagadeesan in the opening four overs, but Venkatesh Iyer and Nitish Rana stitched a century partnership for the third wicket to keep their hopes alive. The pair launched a calculated fightback after the powerplay, taking on the pacers Yash Dayal and Alzarri Joseph and even smashing Rashid Khan for 35 runs in his first three overs to turn the tables on Gujarat.

Iyer continued to pelt the GT bowlers after Rana’s departure, smashing Joshua Little for three boundaries in the 15th to take KKR to 149 for three. However, just as KKR looked to be taking the ascendency, the visitors lost four wickets in five balls as Iyer holed out to long-on for 83 before Rashid Khan dismissed Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, and Shardul Thakur to complete a magical hat-trick.

Rashid’s heroics seemed to have swung the game in Gujarat’s favour, but Rinku Singh had other ideas. With 39 runs needed off eight deliveries, Rinku smashed Joshua Little for two boundaries in the penultimate over before clubbing five consecutive sixes off the final five deliveries of the game to complete one of the most incredible heists in IPL history.