NEW DELHI: Rinku Singh produced a spellbinding all-round contribution as Kolkata Knight Riders edged Lucknow Super Giants in a Super Over thriller on Sunday, delivering yet another high-voltage chapter in the IPL 2026 season. While the match finish was pure drama, the context around his display carried something far more personal, with the emotion behind his innings lingering long after the final ball.
Speaking about Rinku’s impact, his fiancée Priya Saroj said, “We are very happy. Today he played for my father-in-law. We are missing him a lot today, and this is for him,” a dedication that underlined how the knock was meant to honour his late father. Rinku’s father, Khanchand Singh, passed away earlier this year at the age of 57 after a battle with stage-four liver cancer. The timing of the loss was particularly tough for the family, as it coincided with the T20 World Cup, compelling Rinku to briefly return to Aligarh for the final rites—an experience that clearly stayed with him.
That weight appeared to fuel his performance on Sunday. When KKR were struggling at 93/7, Rinku stepped in and changed the tempo of the innings, compiling a career-best unbeaten 83 off 51 balls. He built his innings with measured control, then shifted gears with ruthless intent in the final over, launching a devastating finish by smashing four straight sixes to propel KKR to 155/7.
Lucknow’s chase matched the total, forcing the contest into a Super Over. In the pressure moments, Sunil Narine struck decisively with the ball, removing Nicholas Pooran and Aiden Markram to tilt the contest under KKR’s control. Rinku remained central even in the fielding phase, completing a relay catch alongside Rovman Powell as the innings swung further in KKR’s favour.
With the equation in the Super Over reduced to just two runs, Rinku delivered the finishing touch in the most fitting manner—hitting the winning boundary to seal the victory. The UP-born cricketer’s all-round influence did not stop with the bat; he was also outstanding in the field, taking five catches in the IPL 2026 match. That complete performance earned him the Player of the Match award, and for KKR, it was a win that felt amplified by the story behind it.
