Rinku Singh wrote an emotional message to his late father, Khanchandra Singh, after India won the Men's T20 World Cup by 96 runs over New Zealand on Sunday at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Rinku's father died on February 27 from stage 4 liver cancer at Yatharth Hospital in Greater Noida. Rinku had visited his father in the middle of the T20 World Cup 2026, but returned to join the Indian team for the Zimbabwe game, and was not included in the playing XI.
After learning about his father’s death, he flew from Chennai to his hometown, Aligarh, to perform the last rites.
Rinku wrote in an emotional Instagram post that he had never gone so long without speaking to him and couldn't picture living without his direction.
He remembered his father's lesson that responsibility always comes first, which encouraged him to continue playing. Rinku further added that he has fulfilled his dream of winning the World Cup, but added that every moment of enjoyment will be incomplete without his father.
“Aapse baat kiye bina itne din kabhi nahi nikale. Mujhe nahi pata aage ki zindagi aapke bina kaise chalegi… par mujhe har kadam par aapki zaroorat padegi. Aapne sikhaya tha ki farz sabse aage hai.. toh field par bas aapka sapna poora karne ki koshish kar raha tha. Ab aapka sapna pura ho gaya hai…. toh bas yahi lagta hai ki kash aap mere paas hote.Har chhoti badi khushi mein aapki kami khalegi. Bohot miss karunga aapko Papa... bohot zyada,” Rinku wrote on Instagram.
In five matches at the tournament, Rinku scored 24 runs at an average of eight and a strike rate of 82.75. He is next set to represent Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2026), which is scheduled to begin on March 28.
