Rinku credits hitting 5 sixes in a row in IPL 2023 for Asian Games selection

Rinku Singh had an excellent Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023, scoring 474 runs at 59.25 and a strike-rate close to 150 for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). As a result of his good showing, he was picked in India's squad for the Asian Games, scheduled to be played in Hangzhou, China, between September 28 and October 8. With the World Cup beginning on October 5, India have named a second-string squad, led by Ruturaj Gaikwad, for the Hangzhou Games.

Rinku, who played quite a few vital knocks in IPL 2023, reckons it was the five sixes he hit in the final over off Yash Dayal during KKR's clash against Gujarat Titans (GT) in Ahmedabad that pushed the BCCI to pick him in the squad for the Asian games.

With 29 needed off the final over, the UP batter smashed five sixes off the last five balls of the match to seal the game for KKR. "My life changed after those five sixes. People knew me but not that much. But after those five sixes, now a lot of people know. It feels quite good," Rinku said in a conversation with bcci.tv.

"My family were very happy as they would say, 'Play for India, we want to watch you.' Everything is good, and everyone danced when I got selected. It was a special innings and people began to talk about me," he further added.

This is the first time India have named Men and Women squad for the Asian Games. Cricket has previously been played at the Asian Games in 2010 and 2014. This is the first time the Indian men's side will play in a multi-sport event since the 1998 Commonwealth Games, but those matches were given a List A status, while in the current edition, all matches will be a T20 International (T20I).