India batter Rinku Singh has temporarily left the national squad during the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 following the death of his long-ailing father, according to official sources.

The middle-order batter had recently rejoined the team ahead of India’s Super Eights clash against Zimbabwe in Chennai but did not feature in the playing XI. India secured a commanding 72-run victory in that match, setting up a winner-takes-all encounter against the West Indies in Kolkata for a place in the semi-finals.

Rinku has endured a challenging campaign in the ongoing tournament. During the group stage, he registered scores of 6, 1, 11 not out, and 6 not out. His struggles continued in the Super Eight fixture against South Africa in Ahmedabad, where he was dismissed for a two ball duck in India’s 76 run defeat.

According to the Press Trust of India, Rinku’s father, Khanchand Singh, had been battling liver cancer and passed away on Friday morning at a hospital on the outskirts of New Delhi.

The 28-year-old left-hander rose to prominence as a finisher for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League before cementing his place in India’s T20 setup. Coming from a humble background, Rinku’s journey has often been highlighted, with viral videos showing his father delivering gas cylinders after his India debut in 2023.

Tributes poured in from the cricketing fraternity following the news. Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh expressed his condolences, saying it would be an especially difficult time for Rinku and his family.

India now continue their World Cup campaign while one of their key squad members deals with personal loss.