Teenager's fighting 47 helps Rajasthan chase 176-run target as KKR succumb to sixth straight loss
RR's Riyan Parag plays a shot against KKRat Eden Garden. Pic/PTI
Riyan Parag rose to claim his place among men but fell like the teenager he is. When all seemed lost for Rajasthan Royals, the Assam lad, just 17 years of age, hammered 47 off 31 to carry his team to the doorstep of victory over Kolkata Knight Riders before falling hit-wicket.
ADVERTISEMENT
Chasing 176, Jofra Archer and Jaydev Unadkat were around to put the finishing touches as the Royals won with three wickets and four deliveries to spare. Parag and Archer added 44 off 21 balls for the seventh wicket. The spinners had come to the party with Piyush Chawla and Sunil Narine picking up five wickets between them to peg back the Royals after a brisk start. Narine, of course, will be ruing the dropped chance off Parag when the youngster hadn't opened his account.
KKR's total of 175 for 6 was built around an unbeaten 97 by skipper Dinesh Karthik. It was his best score in the IPL and helped the hosts recover from a slow start. On a night Andre Russell fell way short of expectations, Karthik lit up a packed Eden Gardens with the 50-ball innings that had seven boundaries and nine sixes. His previous best was 86.
Also read: IPL 2019: Dinesh Kartik's 97* goes in vain as young Riyan Parag shines in Rajasthan Royals' win
If the first 10 overs had produced just 49 for the loss of three wickets, the last 10 brought 126. The Royals had Ajinkya Rahane and Sanju Samson put together 53 in 32 balls before Narine made the breakthrough with the wicket of Rahane. Samson departed soon after. With wickets falling at regular intervals, the Royals were plummeting towards defeat before Parag decided to change the script.
Earlier, Varun Aaron, back for only his second game of the season, pegged back the Knights by claiming a couple of wickets for just 10 runs in his three-over opening spell. Chris Lynn dragged the third ball of the innings onto the stumps as Aaron opened with a maiden. Shubman Gill was plucked out just as his partnership with Nitish Rana was beginning to blossom.
Rana perished trying force the pace but KKR found their big over when Shreyas Gopal conceded 25 in the 11th with Karthik scoring 18 of them with a six and three boundaries and Narine helping himself to a six.
Russell, ushered in with a roar when Narine fell, was dropped on three and 13 before compatriot Oshane Thomas had him caught at long-on. Russell also needed some on-field attention for back spasm before he scored 14 with just one six off Jaydev Unadkat.
Also read: Rajasthan Royals' Riyan Parag exclusive interview: Whatever I am is because of my father
Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
