‘Hamara time kharab nahin hai…,’ Rinku Singh’s ambitious claim amid T20 World Cup snub

The middle-order batter for India and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Rinku Singh, expressed his ambition to lift a major trophy for his team at the senior level with his own hands in a video uploaded on the IPL website on Monday, May 20.

“Since I have played cricket, I have won some trophies at the junior level but not at the senior level. I am going to the World Cup. I want to hold the WC trophy. I hope we win. My dream is to win a big trophy for my country and lift it in my hands,” says Rinku in the video.

Rinku, who is travelling as a reserve player with the Indian squad for the ICC T20 World Cup starting June 1, is currently competing in IPL 2024 with KKR. 

Last year, he had a breakout performance, scoring 474 runs at an average of 59.25 and a strike rate of 149.52. In fact, Rinku is the only batter to hit five sixes in the last over of an IPL chase. He achieved this remarkable feat in 2023, becoming the first Indian to do so in any T20 chase and securing an unexpected victory for KKR against the Gujarat Titans (GT). 

However, Rinku's performance in the 2024 IPL season has been disappointing so far. He has only managed 168 runs in 11 innings at an average of 18.66, with the highest score of 26. This could be due to his poor form or limited batting opportunities lower down the order due to strong top-order performances.

However, despite these setbacks and his inability to make the main squad of the T20 World Cup, Rinku remains as driven as ever.

Addressing the challenges he is facing, Rinku remains positive. He says, “Time kharab uska hota hai jiske haath pair nahi hote, hamare toh hain. Hamara time kharab nahi hai.”

In the video, the 26-year-old also shares his emotional side, saying while he is not sentimental, certain movies make him cry. “I am not that emotional. But when see movies, watch scenes that motivate me or that involve someone re-unite after a long time, I start crying. I cried a lot when I watched 12th Fail. I could relate to it since I have also come from the bottom. When someone's son does well and a movie is made on them, it feels motivating to me,” says Rinku. 

Since making his T20 debut against Ireland in 2023, Rinku has played 15 games and 11 innings, scoring 356 runs at an average of 89.00 and a strike rate of 176.24.

Rinku's KKR will face  Sunrisers Hyderabad at Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium on Tuesday for a direct ticket to the championship match.

With nine victories, three defeats, and two draws, KKR finished the season on top with 20 points. In their most recent match, they defeated the Mumbai Indians by 18 runs on May 11. Rain caused the cancellation of their final two league-stage matches against the Rajasthan Royals and Gujarat Titans.

With two of the season's top players known for their big-hitting abilities, the match between the Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad promises to be a high-scoring affair.