Rinku Singh Shines with Bat and in the Field as KKR Secure Crucial IPL 2026 Victory

Rinku Singh delivered an exceptional all-round performance for Kolkata Knight Riders in their must-win Indian Premier League 2026 clash against Lucknow Super Giants on Sunday, April 26, combining a match-winning innings with a record-setting display in the field.

Batting under pressure, Rinku produced an unbeaten 83 off 51 deliveries, anchoring KKR’s innings in a crucial fixture for the side led by Ajinkya Rahane. He then made a significant impact in the field, taking four catches during the match and an additional catch in the Super Over.

This remarkable fielding effort saw the 28-year-old from Aligarh etch his name into the record books. Rinku became the first player in IPL history to register four or more catches in a match on multiple occasions. His previous instance came during the 2022 season against Gujarat Titans in Navi Mumbai.

In that earlier match, he dismissed key players including Hardik Pandya and Rahul Tewatia through catches. In the latest fixture, his victims included Aiden Markram, George Linde, and others, underlining his sharp fielding prowess.

While 13 other players—including legends such as Sachin Tendulkar, David Warner, and Jacques Kallis—have recorded four catches in a single IPL match, none have managed to repeat the feat more than once.

The record for the most catches in an IPL match by a non-wicketkeeper remains with Mohammad Nabi, who took five catches for Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2021. That benchmark was later equalled by Daryl Mitchell for Chennai Super Kings in 2024.

For his outstanding contributions with both bat and in the field, Rinku was named Player of the Match. The victory marked KKR’s second win of the season, lifting them to eighth place on the points table with five points from eight matches.