"I ran away screaming" - KKR star recalls hilarious prank played on him during IPL 2019

India and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) batter Rinku Singh has opened up about a prank played on him during the 2019 Indian Premier League (IPL). The 27-year-old has been part of the franchise since 2018 and won the title once, in the 2024 edition.

On Friday, August 22, the southpaw appeared in an interview with News24, where he recalled being terrified by a prank orchestrated by Nitish Rana and his wife Saachi Marwah, Andre Russell’s wife Jassym Lora, and leg-spinner Piyush Chawla’s spouse Anubhuti Chauhan. Sharing the anecdote, Rinku said:

“It happened once (prank) in the IPL. I am a little scared of ghosts. This was in 2019. Rana Bhai was there, Russell’s wife, Chawla Bhai’s wife, and Rana Bhai’s wife. That day, the topic of ghosts came up, that there are ghosts in this building. I got really scared. It was Saachi Didi’s first day in the IPL, and I ended up sleeping in her room on the first day itself because I was so scared.”

“They had planned a prank on me, and I had no idea. So, all three wives were involved. Saachi Didi was lying on the bed with her hair open. Russell’s wife had a sheet over her, and Anu Bhabi also had a sheet over her. They were sitting there. Rana Bhai had kept the phone over there, and when I went to get it, I saw Bhabi lying down with hair open. I had a Coke in my hand, and I ran away screaming. It was really terrifying,” he added.

Meanwhile, KKR had a disappointing IPL 2025, finishing in eighth place on the points table with 12 points.

How has Rinku Singh fared season by season for KKR?

Rinku Singh made his IPL debut with KKR in the 2018 season, featuring in four games and scoring just 29 runs. In the following two seasons, he played only six matches, accumulating 48 runs.

In the 2022 edition, his playing time increased to seven games, during which he scored 174 runs at an average of 34.80 and a strike rate of 148.71. His best season came in 2023, when he amassed 474 runs in 16 innings, averaging 59.25 with a strike rate of 149.52, including four fifties.

Over the past two seasons, he has scored 374 runs in 22 innings. Overall, Rinku Singh has accumulated 1,099 runs in 59 matches at an average of 30.52 and a strike rate of 145.17, including four fifties.

About the author

Dev Sharma is a cricket journalist at Sportskeeda with over two years of experience. He completed his Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication and has previously worked at Times Now as a sports writer.

His degree has empowered him with a good understanding of ethics in journalism and effective interviewing techniques, which he employs in his articles. He researches and verifies facts from multiple sources and remains impartial in his viewpoints. He has had the privilege of interviewing renowned sports journalist Vijay Lokapally.

Dev loves cricket because of its ability to keep spectators on the edge of their seats and its ability to foster a sense of community and shared passion. He is a staunch supporter of the Indian cricket team and his favorite cricketer is Yuvraj Singh, especially after he hit those iconic six sixes in an over in 2007. He also admires Rohit Sharma’s leadership as he led Mumbai Indians to five IPL titles and Team India to the T20 World Cup.

When he’s not working, Dev enjoys watching football or catching up on his sleep.

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Edited by Dev Sharma