Decoding Rinku Singh's rescue acts in IPL 2023: Stats
What's the story
Rinku Singh has become a household name with his heroics in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023. He smoked a brilliant 44-ball 53 against Chennai Super Kings on Sunday (May 14) as Kolkata Knight Riders claimed a six-wicket win. The southpaw raced past 400 runs in the season during his knock. Here we decode his rescue acts in IPL 2023.
Knock
An important knock versus CSK
Chasing 145 at Chennai's MA Chidambaram Stadium, KKR were in the spot of bother, having lost their first three wickets inside 33 runs. Rinku joined forces with Nitish Rana (57*) thereafter and stitched a valuable partnership. They added 99 runs for the third wicket as the Knight Riders crossed the line with nine balls to spare. It was a much-needed win for KKR.
Stats
First KKR batter with 400 runs this season
Rinku is KKR's leading run-scorer in the season, having smashed 407 runs from 13 matches at 50.87. His strike rate (143.31) is also brilliant. Rinku has raced to 658 runs in 30 IPL matches at 32.9 while striking at 137.95. All his three fifties in IPL have been recorded in the ongoing season. Last year, he smoked 174 in seven games, striking at 148.72.
Stats
Heroics versus Gujarat Titans
The game against Gujarat Titans last month made Rinku a hot property in world cricket. The southpaw slammed Yash Dayal for five consecutive sixes when KKR needed 28 off the final five balls. He did the unthinkable as the two-time champions achieved the highest target successfully (29) in the last over of an innings in IPL. Rinku remained unbeaten, scoring a 21-ball 48*.
Stats
Cometh the hour, cometh the man
KKR's top-order struggles make Rinku's contributions this season exceptional. As per ESPNcricinfo, KKR's aggregate average (22.30) for the top three positions in IPL 2023 is the second worst behind Delhi Capitals (21.63). KKR's top-three batters have recorded as many as seven ducks this season. Owing to the same, Rinku often arrives when the two-time champions are in a spot of bother.
Stats
Rinku's remarkable numbers this season
Rinku now has four scores of 35 or more in matches where KKR lost three wickets inside 50 runs. Meanwhile, the southpaw became just the third player, batting at number five or lower, to score 400 runs in an IPL season with a 50-plus average and 140-plus strike rate. He joined dashers Andre Russell (2019) and David Miller (2022) in this elite list.
Information
Most runs in death overs
In overs between 16 and 20 this season, Rinku has garnered 234 runs at an exceptional strike rate of 174.62. He has smoked nine sixes in this phase. While no other batter has 200-plus runs in this regard, Shimron Hetmyer trails Rinku with 176 runs.