Batter Rinku Singh has joined legendary Virender Sehwag in the list of Indian batters whose six to seal a successful run-chase ended up as null and void because of a bowler bowling a no-ball. Playing his first international match at home, Rinku scoring 22* (14) with the help of four fours came across as a breath of fresh air for disheartened Indian fans.
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Needing seven runs in the last over with five wickets in hand, there wasn’t an iota of doubt around the match going down to the last ball. With India losing three batters within as many deliveries, Rinku was required to score a run off the last ball.
Once Australia all-rounder Sean Abbott (1/43) bowled in the left-handed batter’s slot, all Rinku had to do was clear the 11 Australian fielders present inside the 30-yard circle. The 26-year old player, on the contrary, hit the right-arm pacer down the ground for an authoritative six.
What A Game!
What A Finish!
What Drama!
1 run to win on the last ball and it’s a NO BALL that seals #TeamIndia‘s win in the first #INDvAUS T20I! 👏 👏
Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/T64UnGxiJU @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/J4hvk0bWGN
— BCCI (@BCCI) November 23, 2023
That said, an unintentional no-ball on Abbott’s part denied Rinku of a match-winning six. For the unversed, a match gets over as and when the required number of runs are completed. In this case, Abbott’s no-ball handed India the run they were looking for in the first T20I in Visakhapatnam on Friday. India, who chased down a 209-run target, registered their highest successful run-chase in the format.
That last-ball no-ball is absolutely brutal on Rinku Singh. He doesn’t get the six, but he does get the ball faced, and that brings his T20I career strike rate down below 200
— Ben Gardner (@Ben_Wisden) November 23, 2023
Conditioned to remain calm and composed in such nail-biting circumstances, Rinku spread his arms to announce his arrival at the highest level tonight. In what was his sixth T20I, the Uttar Pradesh batter was facing a top opponent such as Australia for the first time. Known for his finishing skills, Rinku not letting the magnitude of this match affect him has provided a shot in the arm to his stature.
Virender Sehwag Was Denied An ODI Century In 2010
13 years before Rinku’s sealed a last-ball chase for the nation, Sehwag was denied of what would’ve been his 13th ODI century at the time. Chasing a 171-run target against Sri Lanka at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, both India and Sehwag needed a run to win and complete a hundred respectively.
As one would’ve expected from him back in the day, Sehwag had hit former Sri Lanka spinner Suraj Randiv for a six at will to accomplish both the aforementioned tasks. However, Randiv’s foot-long no-ball became an instant source of controversy.
Click here to read more about the incident and how Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar was also deprived of a century against Sri Lanka 14 years ago.
