Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) [India], November 24 (ANI): India's rising star Rinku Singh talked about the influence of former skipper MS Dhoni over his remarkable finishing skills in the final overs after the Men in Blue's triumph over Australia in the first T20I match at the YS Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium.
Rinku stole the limelight with some of his stellar shots towards the end which played a major role in India's success in the first T20I. Rinku remained unbeaten and scored a quickfire 22 off 14 balls to get India across the finish line.
After the game, the left-handed batter talked about the conversation he had with MS Dhoni which has helped to finish off games for his team.
"In four overs we needed some 40-odd runs, my mindset was to do what I wanted to and take the game to the last over. I talked to Mahi bhai (MS Dhoni) and asked him what he thinks in the last over he said that if you stay calm it will be good for you so I try to do that," Rinku said in a video posted by BCCI.
"It feels good that our team won the game and when I came out to bat it was the perfect situation for me to do what I have been doing for some time. It felt good to play with Surya bhaiya," Rinku added.
Coming to the match, after winning the toss and opting to field first, India sent back Matthew Short (13) early. However, a partnership of 130 runs between Josh Inglis (110 in 50 balls, with 11 fours and four sixes) and Steve Smith (52 off 41 balls, with eight fours) put the Aussies on course for a huge total.
A cameo from Tim David (19*) took Australia to 208/3 of their 20 overs. Prasidh Krishna (1/50) and Ravi Bishnoi (1/54) took a wicket each for India.
Chasing 209, India lost Ruturaj Gaikwad (0) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (21) early, reducing the 'Men in Blue' to 22/2. However, a 112-run stand between Kishan (58 in 39 balls, with two fours and five sixes) and Suryakumar Yadav (80 In 42 balls, with nine fours and four sixes) brought India back into the game.
An able follow-up act by Rinku Singh (22* in 14 balls, with four boundaries) took India home despite the loss of some wickers in a flurry.
Tanveer Sangha (2/47) was the pick of the bowlers for the Aussies while Matthew Short, Sean Abbott and Jason Behrendorff took a wicket each. (ANI)