The hero of the day was none other than young sensation Riyan Parag, whose scintillating unbeaten 84 off just 45 balls orchestrated Rajasthan’s commanding victory.
The clash, held at a packed stadium, kept fans on the edge of their seats as Parag’s remarkable innings propelled the Royals to a formidable total of 185/5 despite a rocky start.
SCORECARD: Rajasthan Royals vs Delhi Capitals
The match commenced with Rajasthan facing early setbacks, stumbling to 36/3 in the eighth over, courtesy of disciplined bowling from Delhi Capitals.
However, the 22-year-old Parag emerged as the savior for his team, displaying maturity and composure beyond his years as he single-handedly steered the innings towards recovery. With an array of exquisite strokes, including seven boundaries and six towering sixes, Parag’s innings left the opposition in awe and lifted the spirits of the home crowd.
One of the defining moments of the match came in the final over, as Parag unleashed a ferocious assault on veteran South African pacer Anrich Nortje, plundering 25 runs to achieve his highest T20 score.
Chasing a challenging target of 186 runs for victory, Delhi Capitals remained in contention till the end, led by South African youngster Tristan Stubbs’ valiant 44 not out off 23 balls.
However, despite Stubbs’ resilient effort, the Capitals fell short of the target, managing only 173/5 in their allotted 20 overs. Stubbs’ heroic innings kept the contest alive until the final over, where Delhi Capitals required 17 runs for victory.
Rajasthan Royals’ victory was largely attributed to their disciplined bowling performance, with Avesh Khan emerging as the standout performer.
Khan’s crucial final over, where he conceded just four runs, proved to be the decisive factor in securing Rajasthan’s second consecutive win in the tournament.
Additionally, the contributions of South African pacer Nandre Burger (2/29) and leg-spin maestro Yuzvendra Chahal (2/19), who claimed two wickets each, played a pivotal role in restricting Delhi Capitals’ chase.
Despite falling short in their pursuit of victory, Delhi Capitals’ skipper Rishabh Pant remained optimistic, emphasizing the importance of learning from the defeat and focusing on improvement in the upcoming matches.
“Definitely disappointed. The best thing to do from here is to learn from it. The bowlers did well through the 15-16 overs. But the batters did well at the death, hopefully we do better in the next game,” Pant said after the match.
The match witnessed several noteworthy performances, including Burger’s impactful double strike that rattled Delhi’s top order and Ashwin’s cameo, 29 off 19, that provided crucial momentum to Rajasthan’s innings. Parag’s remarkable innings, coupled with Rajasthan’s collective effort, showcased their resilience and determination to emerge victorious in high-pressure situations.
(With inputs from PTI)