Rinku Singh's father passes away; Yuvraj, Harbhajan, Aakash offer condolences

Rinku Singh's father breathed his last on Friday morning at the Yatharth Hospital in Greater Noida, informed the hospital PRO. He was undergoing treatment at Yatharth Hospital in Greater Noida, but sadly couldn't make it.

Taking to X, Yuvraj shared a message, standing in solidarity with the India batter and his family during a difficult time, "Heartbreaking news to hear of the passing of Rinku's father. In moments like these, no words feel enough. Standing in solidarity with you and your family during this difficult time. May you find strength and courage in the love that surrounds you."

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Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh also conveyed his condolences through a post on X, "Pained to learn about the demise of Shri Khanchand Singh Ji, father of Rinku Singh. This must be an especially difficult time for Rinku and his family, even as he remains committed to his responsibilities during the T20 World Cup. My heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with him and his loved ones. May Waheguru grant eternal peace to the departed soul and give strength and courage to the bereaved family."

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Former India opener turned commentator Aakash Chopra offered prayers and strength to the grieving family through an X post, "Really sad to hear about the passing of Rinku's father. May God give you and your family strength to deal with the pain and the loss. Stay strong, brother. Om Shanti," Chopra wrote.

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On the demise of Rinku's father, his coach, Masood Uz Zafar Amini, said, "I got information that Rinku Singh's father passed away this morning. He was admitted to a Noida hospital. Rinku Singh's father had been opposed to his son playing cricket, but later he agreed when he saw his son winning. He was very happy when India won the match against Pakistan."

Rinku had to rush back home from the T20 World Cup squad to be with his family after his father's condition worsened after India's first Super 8 fixture against South Africa.

Rinku was quick to return to Chennai to join the Indian squad ahead of the Zimbabwe clash on Thursday after a quick visit to meet his father.

However, Rinku didn't feature in the playing 11 for the Zimbabwe clash as India opted for Sanju Samson to open alongside Abhishek Sharma, leaving Rinku out of the equation.

So far, Rinku has had a mixed bag World Cup with the bat, often arriving at the crease with very few balls left to score. He has made just 24 runs in five innings, staying unbeaten twice and having a best score of 11*. In 10 T20Is this year, the left-hander has made 115 runs in eight innings at an average of 28.75, with a strike rate of 132.18 and best score of 44*.

The Indian team will now travel to Kolkata for their last Super 8 clash against the West Indies on Sunday. The winner of the match will join South Africa to qualify for the semi-finals from Group 1. (ANI)