Chasing a mammoth target of 205 to beat the Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad on Sunday, Rinku had to score 28 off the final five balls of the match and, incredibly, achieved the feat with five huge blows.
The Titans, reigning IPL champions, looked to have wrapped up victory after Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan had claimed a hat-trick to leave Kolkata reeling at 7-155-7 the 17th over.
With Kolkata needing 29 runs off the final over, the unfortunate Yash Dayal was handed the ball and after Umesh Yadav took a single off the first delivery, Rinku cut loose.
The 25-year-old capitalised on three full tosses to clear the ropes before smashing the final two balls from outside off stump over the long-on boundary as Kolkata won by three wickets.
"I was just trying to hit sixes. I was not thinking a lot, was just reacting to the ball," said Rinku, the player of the match.
"It kept coming out of the middle, I had belief and it came off in the end."
Rinku set a record for most runs by any batter in the 20th over of an IPL run-chase.
"Rinku played unbelievable shots and credit goes to him for the way he played and for the way he finished," Titans captain Rashid said.
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