India batter Rinku Singh scored a blazing century in the UPT20 League, leading his side, Meerut Mavericks, to victory against the Gaur Gorakhpur Lions on Thursday (August 21).
Chasing a target of 168 runs, Meerut stumbled to 38-4 inside the powerplay. Captain Rinku spearheaded the chase from there on, bringing up his fifty off his 30th ball with a double off Prince Yadav’s bowling in the 16th over. He then accelerated dramatically, needing just 15 more balls to complete his century. In a rampage between the 18th and 19th overs, Rinku smashed 38 runs off eight deliveries, hitting a flurry of boundaries that included five sixes in six balls. He finished unbeaten on 108 off 48 balls, an innings that included seven fours and eight sixes.
In an unbeaten 130-run partnership for the fifth wicket, which took just 65 balls, Rinku contributed 104 off 43 deliveries, while his partner, Sahab Yuvraj, scored a run-a-ball 22. Despite their early trouble, Meerut won the match with six wickets and seven balls to spare.
The victory was earlier set up by their bowlers, especially Vishal Chaudhary, who took 3-21. Vijay Kumar also took three wickets, though he was slightly more expensive, conceding 37 runs from his four overs.
Rinku Singh is 𝑲𝑰𝑵𝑮!
— UP T20 League (@t20uttarpradesh) August 21, 2025
Watch live on @SonyLIV and @SonySportsNetwk. @rinkusingh235 | @UPCACricket #UPT20League #ANAXUPT20League #KhiladiYahanBantaHai #MMvsGGL [ Rinku Singh ] pic.twitter.com/04eMD4lem2
How did Rinku shoot to fame?
IPL side Kolkata Knight Riders’ years of persistence with Rinku finally paid off dramatically in 2023, when he guided his team over the line against the Gujarat Titans, needing 28 off the last five balls. He struck five consecutive sixes to seal the match. That breakthrough IPL season, where he scored 474 runs at a strike rate of 149.53 and an average of 59.25, earned him his maiden India call-up.
Also read: Discarded India quick slams 19-ball fifty, takes 3-24 in UPT20 League
He has played 33 T20Is until now, scoring 546 runs at a strike rate of 161.06. Only two players batting between No.4 and 7 have scored at least 500 runs at a better strike rate in this period – Glenn Maxwell (552 at 166.76) and Tim David (743 runs at 179.03). However, Rinku has been more consistent, averaging 42 compared to Maxwell’s 36.80 and David’s 37.15.
He has also played two ODIs so far, scoring 55 runs at an average of 27.50. Recently, he was picked in India's squad for the 2025 Asia Cup.
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