Rinku Singh’s unbeaten innings of 83 ultimately swung the balance as Kolkata Knight Riders edged past Lucknow Super Giants in a pulsating IPL 2026 match on Sunday. After opting to bat first, KKR compiled 155/7 within their allotted 20 overs, with Rinku playing the pivotal role in shaping the total. Lucknow’s reply collapsed under pressure, yet the visitors managed to force the game to a Super Over by reaching 155/8. Then Sunil Narine turned the screws in the tie-break, restricting Lucknow to a solitary run, before KKR completed the chase on the very first ball.
The contest was staged at Ekana Stadium in Lucknow, where Rinku had additional motivation from the stands. His fiancée, along with Samajwadi Party Member of Parliament Priya Saroj, was present to cheer him on as he delivered a match-defining performance for KKR.
After the match, KKR posted a video on X (formerly Twitter) featuring Priya dedicating Rinku’s winning knock to his late father, Khanchand Singh. “I am very happy. Whatever he played today was for my father-in-law, and I am missing him a lot today,” Priya said.
Rinku’s father, Khanchand Singh, had passed away in March 2026 during the T20 World Cup. He was battling fourth-stage liver cancer, with his condition confirmed before his death.
During the post-match interaction, Rinku was asked by the presenter whether he should be nicknamed “Rinku Sankatmochan” for his knack of delivering when matches get tense. Rinku smiled at the suggestion and responded, “Rinku is fine.” He added: “(Should we change your name to Rinku Sankatmochan?) No, Rinku is fine. When I went in to bat, four wickets had already fallen, so I was thinking about how to take the game deep. Since we had lost early wickets, it was about rotating the strike and putting the loose balls away. I’ve liked fielding since childhood—I’m fit and I enjoy it. I wasn’t ready for that catch; I thought he would complete it, but he threw it wide and I managed to hold on,” Rinku said.
