Rinku Singh to Rejoin India Squad After Father's Demise

Rinku Singh will link-up with the Indian squad ahead of the must-win Super 8 clash against West Indies after attending the funeral of his father, who passed away following a battle with cancer.

Rinku Singh had left the Indian camp to attend his father's funeral on Friday

IMAGE: Rinku Singh had left the Indian camp to attend his father's funeral on Friday. Photograph: BCCI

Batter Rinku Singh, who lost his father on Friday morning, will join the Indian squad on Saturday, ahead of their do-or-die Super 8 fixture against the West Indies at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Sunday, BCCI management has told ANI.

Key Points

Rinku had earlier left the T20 World Cup squad to be with his ailing father..
He returned briefly for the Zimbabwe match before heading home again.
Rinku has scored 24 runs in five innings in the tournament so far.

Rinku's father, Khanchand Singh, passed away at a hospital in Greater Noida and was cremated on Friday in Aligarh with a large number of people paying their tributes.

Khanchand Singh breathed his last at a hospital in Greater Noida on Friday morning after battling fourth-stage cancer.

Grief-stricken Rinku gave shoulder to the mortal remains of his father as the funeral procession made its way to the crematorium.

Tributes poured in from various sections of society over the demise of Rinku Singh's father. Rajeev Shukla, Vice-President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said the loss was deeply heartbreaking.

Team India, who are the defending champions, arrived in Kolkata on Friday evening for their crucial Super 8 fixture against the West Indies.

Rinku had earlier rushed back home from the T20 World Cup squad to be with his family after his father's condition worsened after India's first Super 8 fixture against South Africa.

Rinku then returned to Chennai to join the Indian squad ahead of the Zimbabwe clash on Thursday.

The middle-order batter has had mixed fortune at the ongoing World Cup, often arriving at the crease with very few balls left to score of. He has made just 24 runs in five innings, staying unbeaten twice and having a best score of 11*.

In 10 T20Is this year, the left-hander has made 115 runs in eight innings at an average of 28.75, with a strike rate of 132.18 and best score of 44*. The Indian team will now travel to Kolkata for their last Super 8 clash against the West Indies on Sunday. The winner of the match will join South Africa to qualify for the semi-finals from Group 1.