Lucknow, September 5, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Meerut Mavericks captain Rinku Singh battled through significant pain after taking a painkiller to play a match-winning role in Qualifier 2 of the UPT20 League 2026, guiding his team into the final for the fourth consecutive season.
Rinku remained unbeaten on 37 off 23 balls as the Mavericks chased down Noida’s 134/8, recovering from a precarious 61/4. Yash Garg provided crucial support with an unbeaten 56 off 44 balls to take Meerut across the line.
“I will do anything for the team, whether it involves an injury or anything else,” Rinku said after the match.
The captain revealed that he had still been experiencing considerable pain after their Qualifier 1 defeat.
“Yesterday, I felt that if I had been even a little bit healthier and had a batter staying with me, we could have won that game. Today was the same situation. I took a painkiller and played. My hand was feeling slightly better, but I am honestly still in quite a bit of pain,” he said.
Rinku acknowledged that the team’s top order had again failed to provide the desired start. Meerut lost four wickets early while chasing a modest target, but the captain said discussions with the batters before the match had focused on mental preparation and taking the chase deep.
“Our batting order hasn’t been performing quite as well as we’d like. Even today, we lost early wickets,” he said.
Rinku’s ability to finish difficult chases has become a defining feature of his batting. He said he constantly assesses which deliveries to attack, how to rotate the strike and how deep to stand in the crease while calculating the required runs and balls.
The Mavericks’ bowling attack also played a key role in the victory after Noida made a strong start. Zeeshan dismissed Shaurya after the 10-over mark before Ravi’s wicket helped Meerut build sustained pressure.
Rinku himself made a crucial tactical contribution, bowling the penultimate over and dismissing opposition captain Prashant Veer.
“I was thinking that I should bowl to Prashant. I told Zeeshan beforehand that I could get him out, so I strongly felt it could turn out to be a really good over for me and for the team,” he said.
Rinku reserved special praise for Player of the Match Yash Garg, who first returned figures of 3/14 before being promoted up the order and finishing the chase unbeaten.
“Yash has been doing an outstanding job for our team for the last four years,” Rinku said, praising his contributions with the ball, bat and in the field.
Meerut Mavericks will now face Lucknow Falcons in Sunday’s Grand Finale, with Rinku’s side seeking redemption after their Qualifier 1 defeat.
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