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Riyan Parag Slams First IPL 2026 Fifty, Says "Don't Need to Answer Critics"

Riyan Parag scored his first fifty of IPL 2026, a superb 90 off 50 balls, but Rajasthan Royals lost to Delhi Capitals by seven wickets. DC chased down 226 with a record 110-run opening stand between KL Rahul and Pathum Nissanka. Parag admitted poor bowling cost them the game and said he doesn't need to answer critics. He was also fined 25% of his match-fee for vaping during a previous match.

Key Points: Riyan Parag Fires First IPL 2026 Fifty, Ignores Critics

  • Riyan Parag scores first IPL 2026 fifty (90 off 50)
  • DC chases 226 with KL Rahul's 75 and Nissanka's 62
  • Parag fined 25% match-fee for vaping incident
  • RR stays 4th, DC moves to 6th in points table
3 min read

I don't need to answer critics, says Riyan Parag following his first fifty of IPL 2026 in 10 games

Rajasthan Royals skipper Riyan Parag scores his first fifty of IPL 2026 in 10 games, admits responsibility to deliver runs despite outside criticism after loss to DC.

"I don't need to answer critics (on his form), but my job is to score runs and get the two points for the team. - Riyan Parag"

Jaipur, May 2

As Rajasthan Royals skipper Riyan Parag slammed his first fifty of the Indian Premier League 2026, Parag admitted that while he isn't focused on outside criticism, his responsibility remains to deliver runs and results for the team.

Parag slammed his first of IPL 2026 against the Delhi Capitals (DC) on Friday in Jaipur. DC snapped their three-match losing streak with a commanding seven-wicket win over Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur on Friday.

A blistering 110-run opening stand between KL Rahul (75 off 40) and Pathum Nissanka (62 off 33) laid the perfect foundation for a record 226-run chase, which was calmly finished by Tristan Stubbs (18*) and Ashutosh Sharma (25*) with five balls to spare.

Earlier, Riyan Parag led from the front with a superb 90 off 50 balls, his first fifty-plus score of the season, while Donovan Ferreira smashed an unbeaten 47 off just 14 deliveries to power RR to 225/6 after opting to bat.

Parag steadied the innings alongside Dhruv Jurel (42) following early setbacks, before Mitchell Starc (3/40) struck key blows, including the RR skipper's wicket, on his return.

Parag also felt the total was competitive, noting the pitch had slowed and 200 seemed around par, but poor bowling, especially leaking boundaries consistently, cost them the game. He explained that the plan was to hold back hitters like Donovan Ferreira, rotate effectively against spin at around 8-9 runs per over, and then target the pacers later.

"I don't need to answer critics (on his form), but my job is to score runs and get the two points for the team. I think it was a good score. Though 200 was par, the pitch was slowing down, but we bowled badly, conceded boundaries every over and lost a trick or two. With a left-right combination and 8-9 overs remaining, we wanted to delay our hitters (on not sending Donovan Ferraira early), aim for 8-9 runs per over from the spinners and then attack the seamers from the first ball. That was the plan. Hopefully, nothing serious (on his injury), just a tweak on the hamstring, we have a week to recover," Parag said after the match.

Parag was fined 25 per cent of his match-fee and handed a demerit point after he was caught vaping inside the dressing room during his side's Indian Premier League (IPL) match against Punjab Kings (PBKS).

Meanwhile, this marks DC's highest run-chase in IPL history. The visitors sealed the match with 5 balls to spare.

This was a masterclass chase from Delhi Capitals. Coming off a collapse for just 75 in their previous outing against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and with no prior success chasing 220-plus totals, this was as emphatic a response as it gets, sealed with seven wickets in hand and five balls to spare.

With this win, DC grabs its fourth victory of the season and is placed on 6th in the points table, while RR stays in fourth position with six wins out of their 10 matches.

This is also the second-highest successful chase against RR, behind the 229 runs chased by SRH at the same venue earlier this season.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Finally a fifty! But why didn't he send Ferreira earlier? The plan to target pacers later backfired. Poor captaincy and bowling cost RR the match. Parag needs to learn from mistakes, not just shrug off criticism. 😤
V
Vikram M
Good innings from Parag, but DC's chase was epic! KL Rahul and Nissanka set it up beautifully, then Stubbs and Sharma finished. RR's bowling was terrible - leaking boundaries every over. 225 is not enough if you can't defend. 🙄
J
James A
Parag's attitude of "I don't need to answer critics" is refreshing but also concerning. He's the captain now, responsibility is bigger. Vaping incident shows immaturity. Hope he grows up and leads by example. Talent is there, but discipline matters. 🤔
S
Sneha F
Honestly, RR's bowling was pathetic! 226 in 20 overs should be enough, but they bowled like school kids. Parag's 90 was good, but he's not a captaincy material yet. Needs to handle pressure better. Delhi deserved to win. 👏
M
Michael C
Credit where it's due: Parag played a captain's knock. But his post-match comments about not answering critics feel a bit defensive. He should acknowledge his poor form earlier in the season. The vaping controversy doesn't help his image either. Needs to mature. 😐

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