IPL 2023: "Me, Nitish decided to take the game deep," says KKR batter Rinku after win over CSK

Crucial Fifties from Rinku Singh and Nitish Rana kept Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) playoffs hope alive as they registered 6 wickets victory over Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 match here at MA Chidambaram Stadium on Sunday.

"We lost three wickets early, so we decided we will take this deep. I bat at 5, 6 in domestic cricket too so the experience helped me. I have worked hard, really hard, to get batting well, which is what gives me confidence," said Rinku in a post-match presentation.

Rinku is currently the eighth-highest run-scorer in IPL 2023. He has scored 407 runs in 13 matches at an average of 50.87 and a strike rate of 143.30. He has also scored three half-centuries this season, with the best score of 58*.

CSK opted to bat first and were restricted to 144/ in their 20 overs. Solid knocks came from Shivam Dube (48* in 34 balls), Devon Conway (30 in 28 balls) and Ravindra Jadeja (20). There was a 68-run partnership for the sixth wicket between Dube and Jadeja.

Sunil Narine was the pick of the bowlers for KKR, taking 2/15 in his four overs. Spinner Varun Chakravarthy (2/36) also got a couple of wickets. Vaibhav Arora and Shardul Thakur got a wicket each.

In the chase of 145, KKR was once at 33/3. Then a 99-run stand between skipper Nitish Rana and Rinku Singh took place, which brought back KKR into the game. Nitish slammed an unbeaten 57 in 44 balls, consisting of six fours and a six while Rinku scored 54 off 43 balls, with four boundaries and three sixes. KKR chased down the total in 18.3 overs with six wickets in hand.

Deepak Chahar (3/27) was the pick of the bowlers for CSK and did initial damage to KKR's top order.

CSK is in the second position with seven wins, five losses and one no result. They have a total of 15 points. KKR is at seventh with six wins, seven losses and 12 points in total.

Rinku was given the 'Player of the Match' for his fifty. (ANI)