Rajasthan Royals‘ hopes for a second IPL title were dashed on Friday night as they fell short against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the second qualifier. While the entire batting line-up struggled on a challenging pitch, it was Riyan Parag dismissal that sparked a fiery reaction from legendary former India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar.
RR Batting falters
Chasing a modest target of 176, RR’s batsmen found the going tough against SRH’s spin duo of Shahbaz Ahmed and Abhishek Sharma.
The lack of dew made the pitch conducive to spin bowling, leaving the Royals bewildered as they slumped to 67-3 by the ninth over.
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Riyan Parag dismissal triggers RR collapse
With scores mounting pressure and boundaries drying up, Riyan Parag, despite scoring only 6 runs off 9 deliveries, decided to take a risky shot against Shahbaz Ahmed, who was wicketless in his previous outing.
Parag miscued a back-of-a-length delivery, resulting in a simple catch for Abhishek Sharma at deep mid-wicket.
Sunil Gavaskar fumes over reckless batting
This dismissal ignited visible frustration in Sunil Gavaskar, who didn’t hold back on criticizing the young Riyan Parag. “Seriously, seriously? What’s the use of all that talent if you’re not going to think?” he exclaimed on-air. “What kind of shot is that? Seriously.”
Gavaskar further emphasized the importance of temperament alongside talent. “So much talent… if you don’t have the temperament, it’s not going to work,” he stated. “So what if you had a few dot balls? You can make up for that.”
Riyan Parag mixed season
This dismissal marked a disappointing end to the season for Parag, who had been RR’s leading run scorer with 573 runs in 16 matches.
He played a crucial role in their Eliminator victory against Royal Challengers Bangalore, scoring a vital 36 and anchoring the innings. However, on this occasion, his lack of composure proved costly for his team.
Looking Ahead: SRH vs KKR Rematch
With this win, Sunrisers Hyderabad set up a rematch of the first qualifier against Kolkata Knight Riders. The Shreyas Iyer-led KKR, in excellent form throughout the season, will be well-rested after playing their last match on Tuesday. This rematch promises to be an exciting finale to the IPL 2024 season.
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