File photo of Rinku Singh.© AFP
India skipper Suryakumar Yadav was all praise for youngster Rinku Singh, who held his nerves brilliantly in the first T20I against Australia in Visakhapatnam on Thursday. Suryakumar shrugged off the disappointment of a Cricket World Cup final defeat with a captain’s knock but it was Rinku’s composure that took a young Indian team to a thrilling two-wicket win. This was India’s highest successful chase in T20Is. The skipper was in belligerent mood making a mockery of a 209-run chase with 80 off just 42 balls but Rinku’s 22 not off 14 balls saved India from the blushes.
“He was very calm. Though it was a pressure situation. When he came in to bat he was very calm. The composure he showed that was great to see,” said Suryakumar while praising Rinku after the game.
India needed 14 off 12 balls after Suryakumar departed but Axar Patel bungled big time and the likes of Ravi Bishnoi and Arshdeep Singh also were run-out in a jiffy.
With a single needed off the final delivery, Sean Abbott was deposited into the stands by Rinku but to everyone’s delight, it turned out to be a big no-ball and hence the maximum wasn’t counted. India thus won with a ball to spare.
However, what stood out was Rinku’s fearlessness and the sense of occasion and execution under pressure.
Rinku, the ‘designated finisher’ of T20 team, showed little nerves while lending the finishing touches with some lusty blows after Axar Patel’s 2 off 6 balls seemed like increasing tension in the dug-out.
Earlier, India’s young bowling attack got a rude reality check as a dominant Josh Inglis smoked them to all parts of the ground with a cracking 110 off 50 balls, taking Australia to a healthy 208 for three.
(With PTI Inputs)
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