Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag scored his first IPL 2026 fifty in 10 games during a match against Delhi Capitals in Jaipur on Friday, though his side suffered a seven-wicket defeat.

Parag made 90 runs from 50 balls, his first score of fifty-plus runs this season, while Donovan Ferreira added an unbeaten 47 off 14 deliveries, helping RR reach 225 for 6 after electing to bat. Parag stabilised the innings alongside Dhruv Jurel (42) following early wickets before Mitchell Starc took three key wickets including Parag’s, finishing with figures of 3 for 40.

Delhi Capitals ended their three-match losing streak with a record 226-run chase, their highest successful IPL run chase. The chase was anchored by a 110-run opening partnership between KL Rahul (75 off 40) and Pathum Nissanka (62 off 33). Tristan Stubbs (18*) and Ashutosh Sharma (25*) completed the victory with five balls remaining.

Reflecting on the game, Parag said: “I don’t need to answer critics (on his form), but my job is to score runs and get the two points for the team. I think it was a good score. Though 200 was par, the pitch was slowing down, but we bowled badly, conceded boundaries every over and lost a trick or two.” He added the team’s plan was to delay sending hitters such as Donovan Ferreira, rotate effectively against spin at 8-9 runs per over, and then attack the pacers later.

Parag confirmed he suffered a hamstring tweak but hopes to recover in a week. After the match, he was fined 25 per cent of his match fee and given a demerit point for vaping inside the dressing room during a previous IPL match against Punjab Kings.