IPL 2021 | Kartik Tyagi has bowled the number one spell ever seen in my career, states Riyan Parag

09/22/2021

Rajasthan Royals all-rounder Riyan Parag has said that Kartik Tyagi’s spell was 'number one' he has ever seen in his cricketing career. Parag showered praise on Tyagi who defended just four runs in the last over against Punjab Kings to win the game for Royals by two runs defending 186 runs.

Royals posted 185 all-out after being put in to bat by KL Rahul. In reply, Punjab openers Mayank Agarwal and Rahul stitched a partnership of 120 runs for the first wicket. At one stage, Punjab was cruising as they needed only four runs to win in the final over with Aiden Markram and Nicholas Pooran at the crease. Tyagi took the wickets of Nicholas Pooran and Deepak Hooda in the final over and conceded only one run to win the game for the Royals.

“I think, 100 percent, it is the number one spell I have ever seen in my cricketing career. But then I hope he (Kartik) does it in the rest of the games and wins us more matches,” Parag said at the post-match media conference on Tuesday.

With this win, Rajasthan Royals have jumped to the fifth position on the points table with four wins and four losses equalling five-time champions Mumbai Indians.

Parag mentioned that he pushed Mustafizur Rahman to get the game to the final over and how they fielded badly after being in the driver seat after the first innings.

“We were in the driving seat after the first innings, but then I think, we were poor in the field and then the game was slipping away from us.

“Then in the 19th over, I told Mustafizur (Rahman), don't let it finish in this over and we have a chance with Kartik bowling the 20th and those boys were insane, defending eight runs off the last two overs, that is just incredible,” the Assam player said.

Parag also said that he had kept the helicopter shot in his armoury as he bats in the death overs, where bowlers mostly bowl yorkers but it didn’t come off against Mohammad Shami

“I think, this is such a shot (the helicopter shot) which should be in your armoury because I mostly bat in the death and most of the bowlers perfect the yorkers, so I am just keeping an option. If it is a yorker or is in my line, then I can use helicopter (shot).

It did not pay off well today, but I am confident that in the next match, I get the same ball, I will try the same thing,” added the 19-year-old Guwahati born right-handed batsman.

He admitted that he had an off day in the field as he dropped the catch off KL Rahul.

“It was just a bad day, we rate ourselves as really good fielders, I rate myself as one of the best fielders and it's at the end of the day even I am human. I can drop a catch too.

“But we have got two practice sessions after this and work really hard on that and hopefully from the next match (we are) even better fielding side,” he concluded.

Royals will play next against Delhi Capitals on Saturday, September 25 in Abu Dhabi.