"It was a match Kolkata had no chance of winning" - Aakash Chopra lauds Rinku Singh's unbelievable knock in KKR's IPL 2023 win against GT

Aakash Chopra has lauded Rinku Singh for snatching victory from the jaws of defeat for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in their IPL 2023 clash against the Gujarat Titans (GT).

The Titans set a massive 205-run target for KKR after opting to bat first at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday, April 9. Rinku then smoked an unbeaten 48 off 21 balls, including consecutive sixes off the last five deliveries, to help Nitish Rana and Co. register a three-wicket win.

While reviewing the game in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra heaped praise on Rinku Singh, saying:

"Say Rinku Singh five times. What amazing things you do Rinku baba. It was a match Kolkata had no chance of winning. They snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. The Player of the Match is Rinku Singh."

The former Indian opener pointed out that the Aligarh-born player did the unthinkable when 28 runs were required off the final five deliveries, observing:

"This was one of the finest games that we have ever witnessed. 29 runs were required in the last over and he hit five sixes. He didn't even have the strike on the first ball. They got a single off the first ball, that was Umesh Yadav."

Rinku struggled slightly in the initial phase of his innings, scoring just eight runs off the first 14 balls he faced. He then smashed 40 runs off his next seven balls to take KKR to an unbelievable win.

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"This knock will be remembered for a long time" - Aakash Chopra on Rinku Singh's innings

Rinku Singh clubbed six sixes and a four off the final seven balls he faced. [P/C: iplt20.com]

Aakash Chopra added that it was a memorable assault by Rinku on the hapless Yash Dayal, elaborating:

"Three full tosses went for sixes. Yash Dayal was trying to bowl yorkers but not even one yorker landed. After that, an attempt to bowl back-of-the-hand slower balls and two more sixes were hit. A total of 31 runs were hit in that over. Unbelievable Rinku - this knock will be remembered for a long time."

The cricketer-turned-commentator also praised Venkatesh Iyer for setting up KKR's chase, stating:

"Venkatesh Iyer came as the Impact Player. He has played three matches and batted at different numbers in all three games. Here he came and shone. This was not a knock but a message that cricket remains in Venkatesh."

Venkatesh smashed 83 runs off 40 balls, a knock studded with eight fours and five sixes. His dismissal triggered a collapse, with Rashid Khan taking a hat-trick, before Rinku took KKR across the line.