KKR vs PBKS match: In the 53rd match of IPL (IPL 2023), Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings (KKR vs PBKS) faced each other. In this match which lasted till the last ball, Rinku Singh once again emerged as a hero. Thanks to the brilliant innings of captain Nitish Rana and Andre Russell, KKR defeated Punjab by five wickets.

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Rinku Singh said " When I was small I used to admire and follow Rohit Sharma the finisher when he used to finish the games for MI and DC. He has always been role model for finishing the game to me I am his huge fan ". Source: Jio Cinema#BCCI #KKRvsPBKS #MIvsRCB pic.twitter.com/WlrjUc4u7E

— BCCI (@BCC1__) May 8, 2023

Rinku Singh played a key role in helping KKR win

"When he was batting, the whole crowd was chanting 'Rinku, Rinku'. That is what he has earnt this year."

– Nitish Rana on Rinku Singh.

📷 IPL/BCCI pic.twitter.com/iN4xOJkzg6

— CricketGully (@thecricketgully) May 8, 2023

Arshdeep Singh, who came to bowl in the last over, bowled the first ball bouncer and Andre Russell left it in front, after which he demanded a wide but was denied by the umpire. Andre Russell was run out in the last over of Arshdeep, but Rinku Singh once again played a key role in giving KKR the win with a four, flicking the last ball towards deep square leg.

Chasing Punjab’s target of 180

Yesterday – Sandeep Sharma
Today – Arshdeep Singh

Got to feel for both of them when result decided on last ball.

📷 IPL/BCCI/SportzPics pic.twitter.com/stmBh2h3cs

— CricketGully (@thecricketgully) May 8, 2023

Chasing Punjab’s target of 180, KKR rode on Nitish Rana (51), Russell (42), and Jason Roy (38) to post 182 for five on the last ball. Rinku Singh (21 not out in 10 balls) gave victory to the team by hitting Arshdeep Singh for a four on the last ball. Russell hit three sixes and three fours in 23 balls.

For Punjab, leg-spinner Rahul Chahar took two wickets for 23 runs but could not win his team. Sam Curran took 44 runs in three overs.

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KKR’s team is fifth while Punjab Kings is in seventh place

With this win, KKR has 10 points from 10 matches while Punjab Kings also have the same number of points from as many matches. KKR’s team is fifth while Punjab Kings is in seventh place.

Punjab had earlier shared a 53-run partnership for the fourth wicket with captain Shikhar Dhawan (57 off 47 balls, nine fours, one six) with Jitesh Sharma (21), Shahrukh Khan (21 not out in eight balls), Harpreet Brar. (17 not out in nine balls) and Rishi Dhawan (19 runs in 11 balls) scored 179 runs for seven wickets in flamboyant innings.