IPL 2026: We were under par, admits Riyan Parag after RR's loss to KKR

RR skipper Riyan Parag admitted his side was "under par" after a 4-wicket loss to KKR in IPL 2026. He blamed misjudging the pitch, poor catching, and undisciplined bowling for the defeat. KKR chased 156 with Rinku Singh hitting a fifty.

Rajasthan Royals (RR) skipper Riyan Parag admitted that his side fell short of runs after suffering a four-wicket defeat against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in their IPL 2026 clash in Kolkata on Sunday evening.

'We were dead under par': Parag reflects on loss

Reflecting on the match, Parag said RR had misjudged the surface and failed to execute key basics, including catching and disciplined bowling. He acknowledged that the team expected a competitive total of around 170 runs but ended up below par. "We assessed it was a 170 wicket. So we were dead under par. It was our game. No excuses there. We can't be dropping catches. We can't be bowling lines that favour the batsmen. There was a lot of spin on the wicket. The way Jaddu, Bishi and Punja bowled, I thought the way forward was spin [and hence he bowled an over]. Brijesh was almost there to bowl the 14th and the 16th [overs] as well," Parag said during the post-match presentation.

He further explained the tactical adjustments made during the game, particularly the increased reliance on spin due to conditions and the presence of left-handed batters in the opposition lineup. "But they lost wickets, and there were left-handers. So I bowled... Once Bishnoi's over was done, I felt spinners might go [for runs] here, given the left-handers. I feel the game plan was there. It was a 170 wicket... we tried giving ourselves time, but it didn't come off. I felt Yash Raj Punja bowled really well. There were a few nerves in his first over," Parag added.

Rinku Singh's heroics seal KKR victory

KKR registered a thrilling four-wicket win over RR in their IPL 2026 clash in Kolkata, chasing down 156 with Rinku Singh playing a match-winning knock. After being put in to bat, RR were restricted to 155/9, despite a strong start from Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (46) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (39). Varun Chakravarthy, in a standout performance that also saw him complete 200 T20 wickets, and Kartik Tyagi picked up three wickets each, while Sunil Narine chipped in with two.

How KKR sealed the chase

In reply, KKR suffered early setbacks, slipping to 5/2 and later 37/3, before a middle-order collapse left them struggling at 85/6. However, Rinku Singh (50*) and Anukul Roy stitched together a crucial partnership to revive the chase. KKR needed 21 off the final two overs before Rinku accelerated brilliantly, taking the game to the final over. He then sealed the win in style with a six, guiding KKR to victory with balls to spare.

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