NEW DELHI: Despite a valiant 48 from local hero Riyan Parag, Rajasthan Royals struggled to find their rhythm against a disciplined bowling attack on a sluggish pitch, finishing at a below-par total of 144 for nine against Punjab Kings in their IPL match in Guwahati on Wednesday.
The Rajasthan innings began with a setback as Yashasvi Jaiswal was dismissed early, chopping a delivery from Sam Curran onto his stumps.
Although Sanju Samson and Tom-Kohler Cadmore stitched together a 36-run partnership for the second wicket, their progress was slow, taking six overs to accumulate those runs.
Despite some occasional eye-catching shots, particularly Cadmore's towering six over deep mid-wicket and Samson's elegant backfoot punch through covers, the Punjab Kings bowlers, especially Curran and Arshdeep Singh, maintained tight lines and made scoring difficult.
The dismissal of Samson, who attempted a cut shot off Nathan Ellis and was caught at point, triggered a mini-collapse. Cadmore fell soon after, attempting a big shot off leg-spinner Rahul Chahar.
However, the partnership between R Ashwin and Riyan Parag injected some momentum into the Rajasthan innings. Ashwin displayed his batting prowess with some aggressive strokes, including a stunning reverse scoop over backward point.
Parag, though forced to rein in his natural aggression due to wickets falling at the other end, showcased his skill with a well-timed late cut off Curran.
Both Ashwin and Parag surpassed the 500-run mark for the season, with Parag becoming the second uncapped Indian player to achieve this milestone in IPL history, following in the footsteps of his teammate Yashasvi Jaiswal from the previous season.
Despite these individual efforts, Rajasthan Royals failed to consistently accelerate and were dealt a blow when Harshal Patel dismissed Parag lbw, ending any hopes of a late surge.
(With PTI inputs)
