Watch: Rinku Singh had written his score on his palm before KKRvsRR match began | Cricket

Rinku Singh played a match-changing innings as Kolkata Knight Riders beat Rajasthan Royals by 7 wickets to end a five-match losing streak in IPL 2022. KKR’s win at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Monday also kept their playoffs hopes alive. After the match Rinku Singh, who had played a pivotal role in KKR’s win, told Nitish Rana, who too made a useful contribution, that got a feeling before the KKR vs RR contest began that would get the Player of the Match award.

The left-hander also revealed that he had written his score on his palm before the start of the match. The conversation between Rana and Rinku was shared by KKR on their official Twitter handle.

Watch Video: Rinku Singh shows Nitish Rana that he had written his score even before KKR vs RR IPL match began

Nitish Rana: “What have you written (on your hands)?”

Rinku Singh: “I was getting a feel that I will score runs and get Player of the Match today. And I wrote 50 runs on my hand and drew a heart.”

Nitish Rana: “When did you write this?”

Rinku Singh: “Before the match today.”

Nitish Rana: “How did you know that you will score this much today?”

Rinku Singh: “I was waiting for a long time to get a Player of the Match. It came after 5 years but it came at last.”

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Rinku did not manage to get to his maiden IPL fifty but his unbeaten 42 off just 23 balls changed the momentum in KKR’s favour. The left-hander came into bat when 92 for 3 in 12.5 overs, still needing 61 runs in 43 balls. Rinku’s other premonition, about getting a Player of the Match award, however, became true.

Rinku did the bulk of the scoring in the unbroken stand between him and Rana to take the pressure off the latter and guide KKR to victory.

An overjoyed Rinku, who plays for Uttar Pradesh in domestic cricket, said he is the first player from Aligarh to play in the IPL.

“A lot of players have played Ranji from Aligarh, but I am the first to play the IPL. This is a big league and there is a lot of pressure obviously. I have been waiting for the last five years to get a chance. I worked very hard, came back from injury and did well in the domestic circuit as well. When I was batting, Bhaiyya (Rana) and Baz (McCullum) told me to stay till the end and finish it,” he said.