The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 has recorded 204 sixes in 14 matches, each with a different monetary value. On Sunday, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) power hitter Rinku Singh displayed his six-hitting prowess against Gujarat Titans (GT). The Uttar Pradesh batter smashed five consecutive sixes in the final over to help KKR chase down 29 runs and take the victory.
Singh hit six sixes in the match, including five in the final over against his Uttar Pradesh teammate and GT fast bowler Yash Dayal. No other team in Twenty20 (T20) cricket history has scored 31 runs in the final over for a win, but Singh managed the unthinkable.
Based on his IPL retention fee, the sixes were great value for money for the franchise. KKR bought Singh for INR 55 lakh in the IPL 2022 auction and retained him for the ongoing season. The Uttar Pradesh batter, also a dashing fielder, was not a regular for KKR in the previous edition. He played only seven matches but had an effective strike rate of 148.72.
In contrast, the 25-year-old has started all three matches for KKR in the ongoing season. He scored four runs in the first match before hitting 46 against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and 48 not out in the last match against Gujarat Titans. Rinku is paid an average of INR 3,92,857 per game, which means that each of his six sixes was worth INR 65,476. Of course, his worth is not just in sixes. These numbers are indicative of the value that he brings to his side.
KKR was on the receiving end of the previous record for most runs scored in the IPL in the final over for a win. Former Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza gave away 26 runs in the final over for KKR against Deccan Chargers in 2009. Defending champions GT, meanwhile, had scored 25 runs in the final over for a win against SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) in IPL 2022.
Singh is now ranked third on the list of most sixes hitters in IPL 2023. He’s behind Chennai Super Kings (CSK) opener Ruturaj Gaikwad (14) and Lucknow Super Giants power-hitter Kyle Mayers (9). The sixes have also raised the right-handed batter’s status. He has cemented his position as a core KKR player alongside Sunil Narine and Andre Russell.
The worth of five sixes is much higher for marquee players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. The former Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) captain costs INR 15,00,00,000 every season, while Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma costs INR 16,00,00,000. If Kohli hits one six per match, the cost of that six is INR 1,07,14,285, while that of Sharma is 1,14,28,571.
Note: The calculation of cost per six in a match is determined by the player’s total salary (without endorsements, just the contract value of a franchise’s spend) divided by the total number of matches in the tournament. These calculations are purely for comparative reasons and don’t define the absolute worth of any event.
