A personal tragedy has struck Team India at the T20 World Cup. Batter Rinku Singh departed Chennai on Tuesday for Uttar Pradesh after learning his father was hospitalized with stage four liver cancer and placed on a ventilator, prompting an immediate family reunion over national duty.
This development rules out Rinku’s participation in practice and likely the crunch Super 8 clash with Zimbabwe on February 26 in Ahmedabad. His 24 runs in the tournament, finisher’s nous, and fielding acumen leave a void that’s hard to fill, especially post the South Africa debacle where Miller’s fiery 63 helped set 187, only for India to crumble to 111.
Semifinal qualification demands victories in both remaining games. Expect Sanju Samson to step up, with Axar Patel possibly returning in place of Washington Sundar for better control. Rinku’s recent Super 8 flop—a golden duck—matters little against his proven track record.
The cricket world empathizes with Rinku’s plight. For India, it’s a rallying cry: adapt, overcome, and channel the emotion into performance. With the nation’s eyes on them, the defending champs must prove their mettle sans their star finisher.