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Rajasthan Royals' skipper Riyan Parag finally let his bat do the talking in IPL 2026 as he smashed a brilliant 90 in a crucial clash against Delhi Capitals at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium.

Riyan Parag leads from the front with captain’s knock

Coming in at number four with Rajasthan Royals struggling at 12 for 2, Parag played a true captain’s innings and laid the foundation for a big total.

He took charge with his trademark strokeplay and scored 90 off just 50 deliveries. His knock included 8 fours and 5 sixes, striking at an impressive rate of 180.

Parag first stitched a crucial 102-run partnership with Dhruv Jurel to steady the innings. He then carried the momentum forward with another 50-run stand alongside Ravindra Jadeja.

Parag looked set for a well-deserved century but fell just short. He was dismissed by Mitchell Starc, who made an impact on his return from injury.

Starc went short and hit the pitch hard. Parag tried to play a lofted cover drive, but the ball held slightly on the surface. It caught the higher part of the bat and went up in the air, resulting in a simple catch for Axar Patel at mid-off.

Later in the innings, Donovan Ferreira ensured Rajasthan Royals finished on a high with a blistering unbeaten 40 off just 14 deliveries, giving the innings a strong push in the final overs.

Rajasthan Royals eventually posted a massive total of 225 runs in their 20 overs.

Recent vaping controversy around Parag

Parag had found himself in controversy just a few days ago during the clash against Punjab Kings. A broadcast clip showed him vaping inside the dressing room, and the video quickly went viral on social media, drawing criticism.

The BCCI took note of the incident and fined him 25 percent of his match fee while also handing him one demerit point.

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Fans react after statement knock

Fans reacted strongly to Riyan Parag’s match-winning knock, especially in the context of the recent vaping controversy, as he answered critics with his performance on the field.