Follow UsThere were serious question marks over Rinku Singh’s place in India’s T20I squad for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, starting on September 9. The left-handed dasher has struggled for consistency over the past year, and though he operates in a completely different role, many felt he was fortunate to be picked ahead of Shreyas Iyer.
On Thursday (August 21), however, Rinku silenced his critics in the most emphatic fashion. Playing for Meerut Mavericks in Match 9 of the Uttar Pradesh Premier League 2025, the 27-year-old unleashed his maiden century in competitive T20 cricket - a breathtaking 108 off just 48 deliveries, decorated with seven fours and eight towering sixes, against Gaur Gorakhpur Lions at Lucknow.
Chasing 168, the Mavericks were in deep trouble at 38/4 after eight overs. But Rinku turned the game on its head with a sensational display of power-hitting, stitching together an unbeaten 130-run stand with Sahab Yuvraj (22* off 22) for the fifth wicket.
With 59 needed off the last four overs, Rinku went berserk. He plundered 18 runs off Vasu Vats, followed by 22 off Abdul Rehman in successive overs, before hammering three consecutive sixes off Vats in the 19th to finish the chase with seven balls to spare.
While Rinku has been hailed as India’s designated T20 finisher, his recent numbers haven’t quite reflected his reputation. In his last 13 T20Is, he has managed only 130 runs at 16.25 with a strike rate of 126.2.
His IPL form too has dipped, averaging just 23.38 across the last two seasons. In IPL 2025 for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), he did manage some impact, scoring 206 runs in 11 innings at an average of 29.43 and a strike rate of 153.7 - but far from his best.
This innings, however, could be the spark he needed, not just to reaffirm his place in the Asia Cup squad but also to remind everyone of the game-changing ability he brings when in full flow.