Watch: Arshdeep Singh left teary-eyed after Rinku Singh smacks him, wins another last-ball thriller for KKR
Rinku Singh cast his spell yet again to help KKR win the last-ball thriller and keep their playoff hopes alive.
Given how IPL 2023 has shaped up so far, the clash at the Eden Gardens between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) had the utmost significance for both teams. Punjab Kings set a target of 180 at the venue. A sketchy fifty from KKR skipper Nitish Rana kept the hosts alive in the chase, but with the PBKS spinners working in tandem, the equation came down to 51 off the last four overs. Considering it was not the usual batting belter, KKR were under pressure.
Andre Russell then took down Nathan Ellis, smashing him for 15 runs and then hit Sam Curran for hit three sixes in the penultimate over. With seven required in the last over, Arshdeep Singh put on a steady fight and managed to get rid of Russell in the penultimate ball, albeit via a run-out. But Rinku Singh cast his spell yet again to help KKR win the last-ball thriller and keep their playoff hopes alive.
Arshdeep quickly got over with the one bouncer allowed in the over in the first ball, leaving Russell anxious as he turned towards the umpire to call for a wide but was denied. The left-armer then went for a wide full toss and the KKR star could only manage a single. Arshdeep's another attempted yorker landed as a full toss, this time against Rinku, who failed to take full advantage of it and flicked it down to the fielder at deep backward square leg for a single.
ALSO READ: Watch: Rahmanullah Gurbaz recreates MS Dhoni's famous IPL catch in grabbing a stunner during KKR vs PBKS
In the fourth ball, Arshdeep dished out a yorker outside off and Russell smashed it over extra cover. But did not get all of it. As the deep fielder point covered the ground to throw it back, Russell managed two runs. With KKR still having the advantage, Arshdeep stuck to his plan and Russell failed to connect with the ball this time. And as he looked back at how far the wicketkeeper stood, Rinku was halfway down the track already for the single. Russell immediately took off but wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma was quick to throw it back to Arshdeep who knocked off the bails in time to dismiss the West Indies all-rounder.
In the final ball, Arshdeep went with the full toss and Rinku shuffled slightly and flicked it towards deep backward square leg. The fielder in the deep made an effort to cover the ground, but the ball blazed away towards the boundary ropes. Rinku did it again for KKR as the hosts stayed alive with a chance to make the playoffs in IPL 2023 with another thriller of a win.
VIDEO: Rinku Singh hits Arshdeep Singh for a boundary to win last-ball thriller for KKR
KKR teammates ran in to celebrate Rinku's efforts, Eden Gardens crowd couldn't stay calm, but right there, on that same ground, Arshdeep was down with disappointment. His eyes was filled with tears and was left inconsolable after failing to defend six runs in the over.
VIDEO: Arshdeep Singh distraught after being hit for a last-ball four by Rinku Singh
"I didn't think about the last ball. Even when I hit those five sixes, I hadn't thought much. (Penultimate ball run) I thought if I ran through then at least it will be a tie. But Russell was a bit slow off the blocks," Rinku said as he recalled those last two balls in the chase.
