Rinku Singh's Historic Performance Leads KKR to Victory in IPL Thriller
Rinku Singh Shines in IPL Clash
In a remarkable display of skill, Rinku Singh delivered one of the most outstanding individual performances in Indian Premier League (IPL) history, guiding the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to their second victory of the season. This thrilling encounter against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) took place at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on April 26. The match culminated in a nail-biting Super Over after a roller-coaster of events.
Rinku stepped onto the field when KKR was in dire straits at 31-4, just after the power play concluded (6.1 overs). The 28-year-old played a pivotal role in stabilizing the innings, scoring a half-century off 42 balls. He capped off the innings in spectacular fashion, hitting Digvesh Rathi for four consecutive sixes in the final over. Rinku finished with an impressive 83 runs from 51 balls, boasting a strike rate of 163.51, which included seven fours and five sixes.
In addition to his batting prowess, Rinku showcased his exceptional fielding skills by taking four catches, dismissing Aiden Markram, Mukul Choudhary, George Linde, and Himmat Singh.
Rinku Singh Makes IPL History
Rinku Singh Creates History
Rinku made history by becoming the first player in IPL to score over 80 runs in a match while also taking four or more catches. This remarkable achievement had never been accomplished by any outfield player or wicketkeeper before. Notably, no player had even scored 70 runs while achieving four catches in a match, a record previously held by Adam Gilchrist. Among non-wicketkeepers, Riyan Parag leads the list.
Players With Most Runs In An IPL Match After Taking Four Or More Catches
| Players | Runs | Catches | Team | Opponent | Venue | Year |
| Rinku Singh | 83 | 4 | KKR | LSG | Lucknow | 2026 |
| Adam Gilchrist (WK) | 64 | 4 | KXIP | CSK | Dharamshala | 2012 |
| Riyan Parag | 56 | 4 | RR | RCB | Pune | 2022 |
| Jacques Kallis | 53 | 4 | KKR | Deccan Chargers | Kolkata | 2011 |
| Daryl Mitchell | 52 | 5 | CSK | SRH | Chennai | 2024 |
Rinku is also the first cricketer to achieve this feat twice in IPL history. He had previously taken four catches in a match during the 2022 season against the Gujarat Titans (GT) at DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. Overall, there have been 29 instances of players taking four catches in a match in the IPL, but Rinku is the only one to have done it twice. He is also the first player to record four catches in a match against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). The first instance of four catches in an IPL match was by Sachin Tendulkar during the 2008 season.
Rinku Singh: KKR's Key Player
Rinku Singh: KKR's Saviour
In the Super Over, Rinku took another catch to dismiss Markram, following an impressive effort from Rovman Powell at the boundary. He also scored the decisive runs in the tiebreaker for the team led by Ajinkya Rahane. Earlier in the season, he had been instrumental in KKR's first win against the Rajasthan Royals (RR), scoring an unbeaten 53 runs off 34 balls at Eden Gardens. His performance helped the three-time champions break a six-match winless streak by successfully chasing a target of 156, despite being in a precarious position at 85/6.