With 7-down Kolkata Knight Riders needing 29 runs off the last over, it was unlikely for most to hope that the side would give a fight to their opponents Gujarat Titans. While Rashid Khan's magical hat-trick had almost sealed the game for the Hardik Pandya-led GT, winning seemed to be just a formality for the side. Yash Dayal was handed the ball in the final over and the first delivery went for a single. With 28 needed off 5 balls, GT would have thought that the game was in their pocket, however, KKR's Rinku Singh had some other idea. Rinku hit five consecutive sixes and sealed a nearly impossible victory for Nitish Rana and company.
Since the knock, the cricket world is still taking its time to believe that it has happened for real. While praises are coming in for Rinku for his masterclass, the one from his coach at KKR, Chandrakant Pandit stands apart.
Pandit put Rinku's knock parallel to Ravi Shastri's 6 sixes -- the former player hit in Ranji Trophy -- and the trophy-winning last-ball six of Javed Miandad -- the ex-Pakistan star hit against India in the final of the Austral-Asia Cup.
"In 43 years of my cricket career, being coach, playing cricket, first class cricket and international, I've previously seen two innings. One is Ravi Shastri scoring six sixes in the Ranji Trophy, and second was last ball sixes by Javed Miandad in Dubai (Sharjah) and after that I'm seeing you (Rinku)," said Pandit to Rinku in front of teammates in the dressing room after the game.
KKR chased down the target of 205 runs against GT to register their second win in the ongoing season.