Rinku Singh played a crucial role by scoring 38 runs off 21 balls, propelling India to a total of 185 for 5. This proved to be a challenging target for Ireland, as they fell short by 33 runs. This outstanding performance earned Rinku Singh, a 26-year-old from Aligarh, his first Player of the Match award in only his second international match. Rinku’s quick innings injected much-needed energy into India’s batting effort. His partnership with Shivam Dube, who remained unbeaten with 22 runs, yielded 55 runs off 28 balls, contributing significantly to India’s strong finish.
“I am feeling very good. I was trying to do what I have done in the IPL. I was very confident and tried to stay calm,” he said at the post-match presentation.
When his captain, along with the post-match presentation ceremony translator Bumrah, playfully inquired, “Captain ki baat sunta hai (Do you listen to your captain?),” Rinku Singh responded with a good-natured tone, “I listen to the captain,” accompanied by a smile.
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The path from Aligarh to the Indian cricket team through the IPL was marked by significant challenges, but Rinku Singh managed to maintain his composure throughout. He values his background and finds that it not only helps him stay humble but also serves as a source of inspiration to continue putting in diligent effort towards his aspirations.
“The hard work that I have done, has been working hard for 10 years. The hard work that I did gets paid off with such contributions. The first game I batted, I get the Player of the Match, and it could not get any happier,” said Rinku Singh.
Securing victory, India have sealed the three-match T20I series 2-0, and the third and final fixtute is scheduled for Wednesday, August 23rd.
