RR vs DC Highlights, IPL 2024: Riyan Parag, Indian pacers star as Rajasthan Royals win by 12 runs in Jaipur

Sanju Samson on his thought process behind trusting Sandeep and Avesh for the last two overs when Boult and Burger also had an over each left: 'It's all about gauging in which zone they are. You have to look at that and take your decision. I saw Sandy was calm, he had a really good game last time as well and Avesh was also looking good. So I went with them.'

Here's the big difference in the end. 

In overs 16-20: RR scored 77/1 (15.4 rpo, 8x4, 5x6), but DC managed 53/1 (10.6 rpo, 2x4, 3x6)

The home dominance continues. Rajasthan Royals keep up the trend as 100% record for home teams continues at IPL 2024. DC hung in there, but left a bit too much to do in the end. Parag's knock and RR's death bowling the difference. 

Oh wait, that was in the slot from Avesh but luckily it was wide enough away from the hitting arc. Stubbs can't connect and RR have sealed it. Axar can't do any damage last two balls as well. It's a superb defence from RR and just how big was that 25-run over from Parag against Nortje. 

Avesh Khan with the dot ball that gets loud cheers! With the angle to the lefthander, wide of the stumps and full as it could be. Superb. 16 off 4. Follows that up with another full ball, that Axar can't get under. Just a single. 15 off 3 balls.

Stubbs on strike. Avesh is given the ball. DC need 17 to win. Avesh with a superb yorker, just a single. 16 off 5.

Really good recovery from Sandeep Sharma after 10 runs off the first two balls. The next four balls go for just 5 more as he limits the damage. 

GAME ON! What a shot too a short ball as Stubbs smacks one tennis style wide of long on for a six. Follows that up with a four. This is getting awfully close for RR's comfort suddenly. 

Really good recovery from Avesh after getting hit for a four first ball by Axar. No more boundaries in the over and it keeps RR ahead. 32 off 12 balls needed. Sandeep with the crucial 19th over.

That Riyan Parag over in the end seems to be the difference at the moment. 25 precious runs. 

TRISTAN STUBBS! Dropped catch by Boult and Ashwin is unlucky not to get his man. What's worse for him and RR, Stubbs smashes the last two balls for huge sixes over midwicket and then long on. Much needed over for DC, above par. 

Before his highly-anticipated comeback at the IPL, Stuart Broad and Steve Smith made an important point in the Star Sports studio. There is a need to manage expectations around Rishabh Pant. Without high level cricket for nearly a year and a half, it was also going to be difficult to get up to speed to the levels of IPL. No amount of net sessions or practice matches would be enough to get his match rhythm up to the highest level. 

It was visible in the opening match against Punjab Kings, despite showing glimpses of his entertaining self. And again in Jaipur against RR, Pant understandably struggled for timing. He started with a lovely guided shot behind for four but after that, despite the right intent, couldn't find the boundaries frequently enough. As RR tightened the run-flow in the backend, Pant fell trying to take on Yuzvendra Chahal. As he walked off the pitch, you could sense the frustration in his stride, and it bubbled over as he crossed the sightscreen and swung his bat in anger. Patience will be key for Pant going forward. Perhaps he needs to manage his own expectations.

WICKET! No late fireworks from Porel tonight, as Chahal picks up his second left-hander of the night. Tries to go over long off, taken easily. Axar joins Stubbs in the middle as DC's required rate goes up to 15.

DC are still ahead of RR at this stage but the Royals had Parag play an absolute blinder, not sure if DC have that in their lineup. Porel did show his skills last match but looks like they might be leaving too much to do. Sandeep with another decent over despite a four for Stubbs early. Recovered well enough in the end. 

Just four runs off Chahal's over. Meanwhile here's the Sandeep catch, potential match-winning moment

RISHABH PANT GONE! Chahal fires one slightly quicker and Pant goes for that square slap on on his knee. Sanju Samson takes a really good catch. Rishabh Pant is angry, smashes the bat on a hoarding beyond the sightscreen. 

Another terrific over from Sandeep Sharma! Sticking to his plan of staying away from the hitting arc of the batters. Going with the angle to Rishabh and outside off as well to Stubbs. Not easy to clear the fence square of the wicket. Required rate nearly 12 now. 

Stubbs joins Pant in the middle and the required rate is starting to go up. Pant is still evidently rusty, you can see he's trying to up the tempo but the timing isn't there fully. Understandably too, but DC need some momentum here. Good over from Avesh after a first-ball four.

Four and out! David Warner with a superb shot for four through the square leg. Great use of the wrists to pick one that up from outside off. But next ball, a thick outside edge flies to short third and Sandeep with a really good catch! That flew at him. 

Sandeep Sharma holds the key here for RR. His death bowling was a game-changer against LSG too. He starts off with another terrific over, mixing up the pace like he can. Just four singles. 

Rishabh Pant and David Warner got into a massive mix-up in the middle. Pant sends Warner back after tapping one to cover and it is too late. Well, at least it should have been. Yashasvi Jaiswal got to the ball quickly enough at cover, and he had time to lob a throw to R Ashwin, the bowler, at the non-striker's end. But Jaiswal sends a throw on the bounce, from close range. Ashwin failed to gather it. Not an unusual sight on the field, as Ashwin vents his anger at Jaiswal, perhaps there is a reason to be as well. But Ashwin could have easily done better there too, the throw still came at a good height to him even though he wasn't anticipating the pace and bounce on it. One of the cliches in this sport is "Good cricket all around". Well, this was the opposite. Mistakes all around.  

DC keeping up with the scoring rate. Nearly another chance for RR though as Pant goes for a slog sweep against Chahal. Jurel is tracking back at deep midwicket, gets a hand to it but can only push it over the fence. That goes down as another missed chance. 

Full on confusion! Warner is lucky to be still in the middle. Massive mix-up in the middle. Pant sends Warner back and it is too late. Jaiswal gets to the ball quickly enough, had time to lob a throw to Ashwin the bowler but sends one on the bounce. Ashwin misses it. He is angry at Jaiswal, perhaps there is a reason to be as well. But Ash could have easily done better there too. Mistakes all around.  

A 10-run over for DC, that is par for the course. Avesh starts off with two fours, behind square on each side of the wicket 

Ashwin into the attack and it's a tidy start for the spinner. Just four runs off it. Pant taking his time here to get his eye in. He's going to have to play a significant hand if DC have a chance. 

Burger starts off the final over of the powerplay and Warner goes for four and six. Streaky boundary first but a lovely adjustment next ball to smash a six over square leg. Pant plays out the over safely. The captain got off the mark earlier with a well guided four past point. 

DC won't be unhappy with that powerplay, but their batting is not the most deep. The two wickets could still prove costly. 

Warner on the move! Two sixes in that over by Boult. First a scoop over fine leg. Then one beautifully lofted down the ground. About 180 degree difference in the two big hits. 

TWO IN THE OVER! Bhui falls for a 2-ball duck. Big appeal for LBW first up, but that pitches outside leg as RR lose a review. A nasty bouncer follows and this time Bhui gloves it behind. Well, well. 

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GONER! It's another case of a cameo but not much more from Marsh as Burger gets his revenge. Terrific delivery, zoning in on the offstump from a good length. Timber! 

Another big over. A four for Warner and then two for Marsh. This is a strong start by the Aussies. 

After a 2-run over by Boult, Burget comes on and takes the heat. Two superb shots through the offside then a streaky outside edge. Three fours in that over. DC get a move on. Marsh knows only one gear in these powerplay overs typically, DC need him to go big. 

Well, seems to be some drama in the middle. Nandre Burger, as expected, comes in as the impact sub for Shimron Hetmyer. Couple of deliveries later, RR also bring in Rovman Powell in, seemingly as a sub fielder. Ricky Ponting, however is incensed. Seems to be questioning how RR can start with three overseas players but have four on the field now. The reserve umpire seems to be clarifying this to him. Interesting to see more about this. 

David Warner and Mitch Marsh in the middle, Trent Boult to start off. 

The proof of the pudding is in the eating. There were rumours of a more mature Riyan Parag after a prolific domestic white-ball season. The Assam batsman showed glimpses in Rajasthan Royals' first game of the season batting at No.4, but on Thursday, with the team in trouble, the 22-year-old stepped up. The big guns – Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler and Sanju Samson – didn't contribute much. But Parag, who had been trolled a lot for his lack of returns in previous seasons, had a sedate start when the going was tough, before branching out. He let pinch-hitter Ravichandran Ashwin go after the bowling but after his dismissal took the lead in partnership with Dhruv Jurel. Parag was 4 off 9 balls and 15 off 19, before getting into overdrive as he reached a half-century in 34 balls. A couple of long-hops by the spinners got him into the groove before Parag took a liking to Khaleel Ahmed, who had had a good evening till then. A length ball on the hips was helped along for a six, an attempted wide yorker found the point boundary and a full ball was smashed over extra-cover. It was then the turn of Mukesh Kumar to feel the heat as he went for a four and a six in the 16th over. Kuldeep Yadav was then thumped over midwicket for a maximum. A 25-run final over off Anrich Nortje took Parag to an unbeaten 84 off 45 balls. Some redemption this.

Riyan Parag speaks about his processes, hard work paying off etc for a while before he gets emotional in the end of the mid-innings chat. Saying it's been a tough journey in the IPL for him. 

Shot of the match? One of the shots of the tournament even. Another short ball, and this is perhaps the shot he wanted to play when he hit a four earlier and had his hands on his helmet. This is so sweetly struck! The sound off the bat, uff. Smashed over deep midwicket. That is utterly sensational. 25 runs off the final over, following an outside edge for four too. 4-4-6-4-6. 

4-4-6! What a start to the final over by Parag! Wow, wow. The outside edge comes in handy first ball for four. Then he is actually disappointed at putting away a short ball through midwicket for just a four. He wanted a six there, but gets that next ball and is all smiles. Over long off. 

Mukesh offers Hetmyer a gift of a full toss on his pads, up away over square leg for six. Then anticipates a good wide angled full ball and puts it past cover for four. Scampers back for a 2nd last ball of the over to give Riyan the strike for the last over. 

R Ashwin's bowling is talked about more than his batting these days and rightly so with him achieving milestone after milestone in the longest format. At one point Ashwin, with five Test hundreds under his best, used to bat as high as No.6 in Test cricket. Despite his diminishing returns with the bat, Ashwin's timing remains his best ally. Ashwin unfurled three sixes, two of them beautiful pull shots against express fast bowler Anrich Nortje. For his first six he went down the track to left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav. These were not ugly whacks but good-looking cricket shots. A cameo of an innings but it gave a glimpse of the batting talent of India's lead spinner. He perished caught at deep mid-wicket when going for another six. The power-hitter in him came to the fore on Thursday and RR will be hoping for more such innings from the all-rounder who started off as an opening batsman in junior cricket.

Good over from Nortje there, after getting hit for a four first ball. Two overs to go, how many can Riyan and Hetmyer add? 

Four and out! Dhruv Jurel moves well over to the offside and manages to get a glove to one from Nortje for a streaky four. Tries to repeat it next ball but ends up smashing it onto his own stumps. 

RIYAN PARAG ON THE CHARGE! Wow, that shot to finish Kuldeep's over. Such disdain! Short alright but he picks up the length so early and sends it soaring over midwicket. Kuldeep finishes with 1/41. 

What a start to the season for the Assam youngster. Patient start to the innings today, but has pressed on the pedal. A 34-ball fifty, gets there with a six down the ground off Mukesh. A four each for Parag and Jurel earlier in the over. 

Khaleel's done with his four overs, and Abishek Porel comes on for him immediately. 

BIG OVER! Riyan Parag with three outrageously good shots. First a pickup shot off his hip, casually flicked over long leg for six. Then a Mohali-2016-Kohli-esque squeeze behind point for four. Then the best of the lot, a lofted inside out cover drive for another four. Khaleel's last over is expensive, but still finishes with 1/24. 

Back after the timeout, as Khaleel comes on to complete his quota of overs. 

Skipper Rishabh Pant didn't really want to review, but Kuldeep Yadav went up to him and literally forced the wicketkeeper's hands into making the 'T' sign. After a start that was slow by even ODI standards, with Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sanju Samson already back in the dugout, Jos Buttler had had enough and went for a reverse-sweep. But this version of Buttler is not even close to the one that dominated the IPL from the top of the Rajasthan Royals order and is struggling to make an impact. The Englishman failed to make contact, and Kuldeep's vociferous appeal was turned down by the umpire. The left-arm wrist-spinner, however, was not willing to take 'no' for an answer. Enthused by a few occasions in the recent Test series against England when 'not out' decisions were overturned on review, he went to the Delhi Capitals captain, who maybe felt the ball pitched outside leg-stump, and got his way. As it turned out, the replay showed the ball pitched in line and was smashing the stumps. Kuldeep, who is not short of confidence these days, was vindicated yet again. Pant gave him a sheepish high-five as the home side sunk deeper into trouble.

End of Ashwin's entertaining stay in the middle. Goes for another big one, more square of the wicket this time than over midwicket. Axar has the last laugh though as Stubbs takes a good high catch close to the boundary rope. 

It's not quite been Kuldeep's night after that Buttler wicket. Drops short to Parag and it is sent soaring over the midwicket fence for a six. A strange late review for caught behind off the last ball, not gone Kuldeep's way here. 

Rovman Powell was getting set to be the Impact Sub we think as he had his pads ready in the dugout. But if Ashwin keeps going for a while here, RR might be happy to stick to plan A of bringing on Nandre Burger later. A quiet over from Axar as he concedes just four singles again. 

Nortje back in the attack and Ashwin nonchalantly dumps his first ball over the boundary for RR's second six of the innings. Much needed for the Royals. 2 singles follow as Parag and Ashwin rotate strike to put Ashwin back on strike. And what do you know!!! Ashwin has smashed Nortje for another six as the crowd goes wild. 15 from this one

We are back from the break and Kuldeep Yadav is introduced in the attack. Just 5 from the first 4 balls before Ashwin, who was being questioned by the commentators for his slow start, heaves Yadav for a maximum. 12 from the over.

Finally, a boundary after feels like an age (especially after last night). Parag puts one away from Axar for a four. Time for a timeout. It's been such a contrast to the sixathon in Hyderabad. 

Kuldeep Yadav strikes in his first over. He goads Rishabh (forcing his hands literally) to take a review after Buttler misses a reverse sweep. It is pitching in line! That was the main thing. The rest of it is plumb. 

Quick and tidy from Axar for his first over, just four singles conceded. Nearly a runout in there as well as Buttler escapes, that would ha been a disaster for RR.