Rinku Singh leaves T20 World Cup after father’s death

India’s T20 World Cup campaign was jolted by personal tragedy on February 27 as India batter Rinku Singh lost his father, Khachandra Singh, to stage 4 liver cancer.

Khachandra Singh breathed his last at Yatharth Hospital, where he had been undergoing intensive treatment after his condition deteriorated sharply in recent days. He was on ventilator support and receiving continuous renal therapy as doctors fought to stabilize him. Despite sustained medical intervention, his health declined rapidly.

The heartbreaking news reached Rinku while he was with the Indian squad in Chennai for the T20 World Cup. The 28-year-old had earlier travelled home when his father’s condition worsened ahead of India’s Super 8 clash against Zimbabwe, before rejoining the team. Following his father’s demise, he has now left the camp again and travelled to Aligarh to be with his family.

Personal loss amid World Cup pressure

Rinku was not part of India’s playing XI for the must-win fixture against Zimbabwe, as the team reshuffled its combination. Sanju Samson and Axar Patel were brought in to recalibrate the balance, with Samson returning to the top order, Ishan Kishan shifting down, and Tilak Varma assigned finishing duties.

Although he did not feature in the XI, Rinku remained with the squad and took the field as a substitute. So far in the tournament, he has played five matches, scoring 24 runs in his designated finishing role.

Availability in doubt

With India set to face the West Indies in a crucial clash in Kolkata, uncertainty now clouds Rinku’s participation in the remainder of the T20 World Cup 2026. There has been no official word yet from the Board of Control for Cricket in India or the team management on whether he will return to the squad.

As India brace for a virtual knockout phase, the dressing room must balance competitive urgency with compassion — rallying not just for a World Cup push, but around a teammate navigating profound personal loss.