Following his side’s six-wicket win over Mumbai Indians (MI) in their Indian Premier League (IPL) match, Rajasthan Royals (RR) all-rounder Riyan Parag shared a heartwarming moment with his mother. Parag blitzkrieg left the Mumbai Indians (MI) bamboozled as the Rajasthan Royals (RR) sailed to their third consecutive win in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 with a six-wicket triumph over the five-time champions on Monday at the Wankhede Stadium.
In a video posted by the official X (formerly Twitter) handle of his team, Parag was seen sharing a hug with his mother, after which she lovingly placed Parag’s Orange Cap for most runs on his head.
“No one loves you like your mom does,” tweeted the official handle of RR.
No one loves you like your mom does. pic.twitter.com/oaWC2SYR47
— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) April 1, 2024
Riyan has had a great turnaround in the IPL 2024. He has been promoted to bat at number four, after years of failing to perform down the order as a finisher. The young all-rounder faced trolling on social media for his performances in previous seasons but has shut them all down with his attacking intent and maturity.
In three matches, Riyan has scored 181 runs at an average of 181.00 and a strike rate of over 160, with two half-centuries. His best score is 84*. He is tied with Indian and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) star batter Virat Kohli for most runs in IPL 2024, scoring 181 runs in three matches at an average of 90.50, with a strike rate of over 141. He has scored two half-centuries, with the best score of 83*.
Last IPL season, Parag scored 78 runs in seven innings. In IPL 2022, his numbers were 183 runs in 14 innings. In 2021, he made 93 runs in 10 innings. These numbers look heavily underwhelming when one also looks at his domestic cricket numbers for Assam, where he shows a more all-round side of him as a batter.
In four matches of the Ranji Trophy 2023-24, Parag made 378 runs in six innings at an average of 75.6, with two centuries and a fifty. His best score was 155.
Parag also took Assam to the semifinals of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy T20 competition, ending the tournament as the leading run-scorer with 510 runs at an average of 85, with seven half-centuries. He also took 11 wickets.
In the Deodhar Trophy, a 50-over tournament last year, Parag ended as the leading run-getter while playing for East Zone, taking his team to the finals. In five matches and five innings, Parag made 354 runs at an average of 88.50, with a strike rate of over 136. He scored two centuries and a fifty. Most of his scores came in pressure situations and he found himself driving his team out of trouble after losing early wickets or going through a collapse. He earned the ‘Player of the Tournament’ title in the competition.
Coming to the match, after winning the toss, RR opted to bowl first. Trent Boult (3/22) destroyed the MI top-order in the powerplay, reducing them to 20/4. A 56-run partnership between skipper Hardik Pandya (34 in 21 balls, with six fours) and Tilak Varma (32 in 29 balls, with two sixes) brought some order into the innings briefly before MI experienced a collapse again to end at 125/9 in 20 overs.
Yuzvendra Chahal (3/11) and Nandre Burger (2/32) bowled well for RR and rocked the MI batting line-up with regular wickets, never giving them a chance to breathe.
In the run chase, RR lost openers Jos Buttler (13), Yashasvi Jaiswal (10) while skipper Sanju Samson could make only 12 in 10 balls. Reduced to 48/3, they were in a tricky situation. But Riyan Parag once again performed a brilliant rescue act, scoring 54* in 39 balls, with five fours and three sixes to take his side to a six-wicket win with 27 balls left.
Akash Madhwal (3/20) was the pick of the bowlers for MI.
Boult took home the ‘Player of the Match’ award.
Rajasthan is at the top of the points table with three wins in three matches, giving them a total of six points. Mumbai is at the bottom on the other hand, having lost all their three games so far.
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