Rinku Singh's heroics with the bat guided Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to an epic victory over Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Match 53 of the TATA IPL 2023 at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. The match saw both teams produce a captivating display of cricket as they battled it out in a high-scoring thriller. KKR, led by Nitish Rana's composed knock of 51 off 38, chased down the target of 180 runs with just a ball to spare.
After winning the toss and electing to bat first, PBKS posted a competitive total of 179/7, with skipper Shikhar Dhawan top-scoring with 57 off 47 balls, supported by Shahrukh Khan's quickfire 21 off 8 balls and Harpreet Brar's 17* off 9 balls. In response, KKR got off to a good start with Jason Roy's attacking play. Roy's 38 off 24 balls set the tone for KKR's run-chase, which was given the final flourish by Andre Russell (42 off 23) and Rinku Singh (21* off 10), who hit a boundary off the last ball to seal the win.
KKR's chase had some dramatic twists and turns, with Rahmanullah Gurbaz (15 off 12) and Venkatesh Iyer (11 off 13) departing early. However, Rana's fifty off 37 balls kept KKR in the hunt, and with Russell's big hitting, the required run-rate was brought down to manageable levels. Russell's dismissal in the penultimate over gave PBKS a glimmer of hope, but Rinku Singh's nerveless hitting in the final over sealed the deal for KKR.
Chahar was the pick of the PBKS bowlers, finishing with figures of 2/28, while Arshdeep Singh and Harpreet Brar picked up a wicket each. For KKR, Varun Chakravarthy was the standout bowler, conceding just 23 runs in his four overs and picking up a wicket.
Overall, it was an enthralling contest between two evenly matched sides, with KKR eventually emerging as the victors. The result kept KKR's hopes of qualifying for the playoffs alive, while PBKS' chances took a hit as they slipped to fifth in the points table.