‘I was on painkillers’: Rajasthan Royals’ Riyan Parag after 12-run win over Delhi Capitals in IPL 2024

New Delhi: Riyan Parag – the destroyer-in-chief for Delhi Capitals (DC) has marked his return in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in style. The middle order batter for Rajasthan Royals (RR) upped his T20 game as he struck an unbeaten 84 runs off 45 deliveries smashing seven fours and six sixes on Thursday with the Jaipur crowd going bonkers. RR beat DC by 12 runs and Parag was adjudged the Player of the Match for his heroic innings.

Parag’s unbeaten knock handed Royals their second continuous win in the IPL 2024 as Capitals succumbed to their second loss of the season. Speaking at the post-match presentation, Parag revealed that he was not well for the last three days and had to take painkillers to recover in time for their IPL match against DC. The 22-year-old Assam batter finally came of age after enduring a flop show in the previous IPL season.

“I have worked very hard, the last 3 days I was in bed, I was on painkillers, I just got up today and I’m very happy,” Parag said. Parag went through struggles in the last few seasons and couldn’t live up to the expectations despite possessing the talent. His hard work in the last year paid off as he hit his highest IPL score to lift RR to 185 for 5.

“(Emotions) They are settled, mom is here, she has seen the struggle, the last 3-4 years. I know what my opinion is about myself. That does not change regardless of whether I get a zero or not. That’s a lot to do with the type of season as well, I had a great domestic season and that helps. Someone in the top four has to play the 20 overs, the wicket was keeping low and stopping, in the first game Sanju bhayya did it,” he added.

Parag used to play as a finisher in the earlier editions of the cash-rich league but for this season, the RR management moved him up to no. 4, a position where he likes to bat as well. He entered the league after scoring loads of runs at the Deodhar trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali T20s.

Anrich Nortje hammered for 25 off final over

During RR’s innings, it was experienced speedster Anrich Nortje against young Riyan Parag and bowled bouncers and yorkers to him but it didn’t bother Parag at all. He lined up Nortje and hit him for 4, 4, 6, 4, 6 with a single off the final delivery. This late flourish took RR above 180 and proved beneficial as DC fell just 12 runs short of their first win.

“I know I’ve got the power and the strength to dig out yorker balls or even hit sixes off the short balls. So, I’m just backing myself and whenever it comes, I’m going to hit a boundary. Sometimes, it does work out and sometimes it doesn’t,” Parag said after his innings.