Jaipur: Rajasthan Royals’ captain Riyan Parag led with a gritty and commanding knock, helping his team post a competitive total of 225/6 in 20 overs despite Delhi Capitals regaining crucial momentum thanks to a late burst from Mitchell Starc in their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 clash at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on Friday.
The highly anticipated contest began with an unexpected twist. While everyone expected a showdown between Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Starc, it was Yashasvi Jaiswal who stole the spotlight first. He hit Starc for a six on the very first ball he faced, but fell two balls later to a high full toss, lobbing a simple return catch. RR found themselves rocked early at 6 for 1 in 0.3 overs. Things got worse when Sooryavanshi, undone by a precise yorker, was bowled by Kyle Jamieson for 12, leaving them at 12 for 2 in 1.5 overs.
With the top order shaken, Parag started to rebuild alongside Dhruv Jurel. Despite concerns about Jurel’s strike rate of 150.86 at No. 3, the pair steadied RR. They reached 56 for 2 at the end of the Power-play. Delhi Capitals tightened their grip immediately after, with Kuldeep Yadav delivering a solid spell. Axar Patel also recovered well after a rough start, limiting RR to 91 for 2 in 10 overs.
However, Parag gradually shifted his approach. He scored a measured fifty off 32 balls, celebrating with a four and a stunning six off T. Natarajan. By the 11th over, he had reached 60 off 34, pushing RR to 106 for 2. Jurel showed flashes of brilliance with a six off Axar but fell for 42 off 30, leaving RR at 114 for 3 in 11.4 overs.
A strategic move to promote Ravindra Jadeja up the order briefly worked in RR’s favour. Parag dominated Jamieson, hitting 32 runs off just 12 balls against him. By the 16th over, RR were well positioned at 166 for 3, with Parag batting on 90 off 49.
Just when RR seemed set for a big score, Starc changed the game. Using his pace and variations, he dismissed Jadeja with a slower short ball and followed it by removing Parag with a hard-length delivery. Parag’s impressive innings ended at 90 off 50, with RR slipping to 173 for 5, losing momentum at a critical moment.
The innings got a late lift from Donovan Ferreira, who produced a remarkable cameo. After struggling against Kuldeep, Ferreira turned the tide, scoring 47 off just 14 balls. His assault included several sixes off near-perfect yorkers, as RR raced to 193 for 5 in 18 overs, rescuing what briefly looked like a stalled innings.
From 147/3 in 15 overs to a late flourish thanks to Ferreira (47 off 14), RR’s innings showcased resilience and momentum shifts.
Brief scores:
Rajasthan Royals 225/6 in 20 overs (Riyan Parag 90, Donovan Ferreira 47 not out; Mitchell Starc 3-40, Kyle Jamieson 1-48) against Delhi Capitals
(IANS)
