Rajasthan Royals' flamboyant batter Riyan Parag's emotions ran high after his cracking knock against Delhi Capitals in the IPL 2024 match on March 28, Thursday in Jaipur. Parag's unbeaten 84-run knock helped RR post a challenging target of 186 runs. During a mid-innings interview, Parag got a bit emotional while talking to the broadcasters. Highlighting the importance of practice, he revealed that the relentless hours spent honing his skills in the nets had prepared him for this moment on the big stage. Parag emphasized his dedication to being ready for any situation. He described strategizing for both pace and spin bowlers, developing the confidence to execute specific shots - like clearing sixes over short deliveries and dealing calmly with yorkers.
Parag's heroics were crucial for Rajasthan, who initially found themselves in a precarious position at 58 for 3 after 10 overs. However, his brilliant knock along with a crucial partnership with Ashwin and valuable contributions from Dhruv Jurel and Shimron Hetmyer, propelled Rajasthan to a formidable total of 185 for 5 in their 20 overs. This remarkable turnaround silenced the home crowd's initial concerns and set a challenging target for Delhi.
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“I have put in a lot of practice, I've practised against those kind of (bowling of Nortje). I had my options ready for both sides of the wicket - I was backing my strengths, I know I had the power, it's good when it comes off," Riyan Parag told broadcasters after his scintillating knock
The star of the show for Rajasthan was undoubtedly Riyan Parag. His unbeaten knock of 84 runs from just 45 deliveries is a strong contender for one of the best innings of the IPL season so far. Parag's crucial partnership with Ashwin steadied the Rajasthan innings after a shaky start. Late cameos from Jurel and Hetmyer added vital runs to the total.
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Parag acknowledged the unpredictable nature of cricket, but also credited the guidance of coaches Kumar Sangakarra and captain Sanju Samson. Their advice to "bat deep" allowed him to unleash his full potential towards the end of the innings. Parag's emotions after the match were a reflection of the satisfaction that comes from hard work paying off. He didn't shy away from mentioning the challenges faced by young players, but his performance served as a testament to his dedication and the rewards it can bring.
“Sanju bhai told me to take it deep, I was confident that I could get a lot of runs. It wasn't easy for a new batter to come and score, you needed someone to stay until the end. It's been tough, I'm a bit emotional now, I have worked hard and seeing the fruits of it now,” Parag further added.
Delhi Capitals (Playing XI):
David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Ricky Bhui, Rishabh Pant(w/c), Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel, Sumit Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, Anrich Nortje, Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Kumar.
Delhi Capitals Subs: Abhishek Porel, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Pravin Dubey, Kumar Kushgara, Rasikh Dar
Rajasthan Royals' Playing XI:
Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson(w/c), Riyan Parag, Shimron Hetmyer, Dhruv Jurel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Trent Boult, Yuzvendra Chahal, Sandeep Sharma, Avesh Khan.
Rajasthan Royals Subs: Rovman Powell, Nandre Burger, Tanush Kotian, Shubham Dubey, Kuldeep Sen
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