IPL: Rinku Singh, Nitish Rana pose with Abdu Rozik
May 21, 2023
New Delhi [India], May 21 : 'Bigg Boss 16' fame and singer Abdu Rozik recently met cricketers Rinku Singh and Nitish Rana.
Taking to Instagram, Abdu shared pictures from his meeting with the KKR stars.
"So much love in Kolkata I'll miss you...thanks also to @kkriders for the welcome and inviting me to Eden gardens . Awesome players, team and love #rinkusingh #nitishrana #kkr #cricket #ipl #kolkata #love #life #kolkata #india #dubai #tajikistan," Abdu wrote.
In one of the pictures, Nitish and Rinku are seen pulling Abdu's cheeks.
Meanwhile, Rinku is being appreciated for his stellar performance in the 16th IPL edition.
Though everyone became aware of this pocket dynamite's capabilities as a batter and fielder during the last season with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in 2022, Rinku was launched into cricketing stardom the moment he smashed Gujarat Titans' pacer Yash Dayal for five successive towering sixes in the final over of a 200-run plus chase in this year in IPL 2023.Those five sixes became the reason for his coming to the limelight, he emerged as a strong player who has been battling poverty and a lack of support from his loved ones for playing the sport.Even after getting into cricket, Rinku's calibre was not acknowledged initially. Despite his consistent efforts in domestic cricket for UP, he had to sit on the sidelines after being offered his first IPL contract in 2017 by Punjab Kings.
Those five sixes became the reason for his coming to the limelight, he emerged as a strong player who has been battling poverty and a lack of support from his loved ones for playing the sport.Even after getting into cricket, Rinku's calibre was not acknowledged initially. Despite his consistent efforts in domestic cricket for UP, he had to sit on the sidelines after being offered his first IPL contract in 2017 by Punjab Kings.In 2018, KKR bought him but he got to play barely a handful of matches per season till 2020. Failures came in plenty as he could not register big scores.
His 2022 season showed some glimpses of brilliance that was to follow the next year. In seven matches, he scored 174 runs at an average of 34.80 and a strike rate of 148.72. His best score was 42*. Rinku showed some tiny glimpses of his 'Finisher' role during a 211-run chase against Lucknow Super Giants, in which he scored 40 off just 15 balls with two fours and four sixes. The big hits smashed by Rinku left fans astonished that how could a man of his size produce such power. Also, LSG team and fans had their hearts in their mouths seeing the young man blaze his way through the bowling attack. But he was caught by Evin Lewis, who took a blinder to deny KKR a win, leaving them short of two runs.
Following the match, Rinku received immense backing from then-head coach Brendon McCullum, the man who kickstarted IPL with 158* in 73 balls for KKR against Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2008 and had been a trendsetter in T20 cricket's early years."Rinku's is an incredible story. He has been around for five years in IPL, sat on the sidelines for so long and worked so hard, he has had to wait for his opportunity, he got it late in the tournament and he has taken it. He plays the game for all the right reasons that I love as a coach and as a fan of cricket as well. Rinku is a player who KKR will invest in, no doubt, over the next few years and we will see him progressing and challenging for the top honours. Not too many people can bat like Rinku did and be able to pull games out of the fire. He has almost done for us on two occasions. I am really pleased for him," said McCullum during a post-match conference after the match.
The 2023 season proved to be the game-changing season for Rinku where he proved his strength reflecting that Indian cricket was in strong and capable hands.
