'I was not supposed to play today' - Riyan Parag not completely fit but will play Eliminator

Matches (24) South Africa A in England (1) Vitality Blast Men (7) Vitality Blast Women (4) Blast Women League 2 (3) GAK One Day (2) T20 World Cup Sub Regional Africa Qualifier A (3) ENG-W vs NZ-W (1) NZ-A Women in SL (1) Live IPL • Eden Gardens (18.3/20 ov) 181/4 KKR chose to field. ScheduleTable RESULT IPL • Wankhede (20 ov, T:206) 175/9 RR won by 30 runs ScheduleTable Live 1st Unofficial Test • Arundel (6 ov, T:214) 331 & 22/0 Day 3 - SA A need 192 runs. Innings break Vitality Blast Men • Chester-le-Street (20 ov) 148/8 Leics chose to bat. ScheduleTable Live Vitality Blast Men • Birmingham (17.2/20 ov) 157/4 Bears chose to bat.

ScheduleTable Live Vitality Blast Men • Leeds (19.2/20 ov) 180/4 Derbyshire chose to bat. ScheduleTable Live Vitality Blast Men • Worcester (9/20 ov, T:192) 65/4 Worcs need 127 runs in 66 balls. ScheduleTable RESULT Vitality Blast Men • Lord's (18.3/20 ov, T:144) 144/4 Surrey won by 6 wickets (with 9 balls remaining) ScheduleTable RESULT Vitality Blast Women • Chester-le-Street (20 ov, T:179) 146/8 DUR Women won by 32 runs ScheduleTable RESULT Vitality Blast Women • Birmingham (18.2/20 ov, T:167) 167/3 SOM Women won by 7 wickets (with 10 balls remaining) ScheduleTable RESULT Vitality Blast Women • Leeds (15.3/20 ov, T:134) 134/6 SUR Women won by 4 wickets (with 27 balls remaining) ScheduleTable Live Blast Women League 2 • Lord's Middx Women chose to bat. ScheduleTable RESULT Blast Women League 2 • Worcester (17.5/20 ov, T:141) 101 Northants Wm won by 39 runs ScheduleTable RESULT GAK One Day • Amanullah (40.1/50 ov, T:236) 236/4 Speen-Ghar won by 6 wickets (with 59 balls remaining) ScheduleTable RESULT Gaborone (Oval 1) (15.2/20 ov, T:289) 17 Rwanda won by 271 runs ScheduleTable RESULT Gaborone (Oval 2) (15.4/20 ov, T:65) 67/9 Cameroon won by 1 wicket (with 26 balls remaining) ScheduleTable RESULT Gaborone (Oval 1) (2.2/20 ov, T:25) 25/0 Botswana won by 10 wickets (with 106 balls remaining) ScheduleTable Upcoming3rd T20I • Hove Match yet to begin Upcoming3rd unofficial T20I • Dambulla Match yet to begin UpcomingGAK One Day • Amanullah Match yet to begin ScheduleTable UpcomingVitality Blast Men • Manchester Match yet to begin ScheduleTable UpcomingVitality Blast Men • Canterbury Match yet to begin ScheduleTable UpcomingVitality Blast Women • Manchester Match yet to begin ScheduleTable UpcomingBlast Women League 2 • Canterbury Match yet to begin ScheduleTable ESPNcricinfo staff Published: May 24, 2026, 3:24 PM (23 mins ago) Riyan Parag captained RR to a nervy win at the Wankhede • BCCI After Rajasthan Royals (RR) sealed the fourth and final playoff spot in IPL 2026, their captain Riyan Parag said he was "definitely not fit" and was not supposed to play in their final league fixture, against Mumbai Indians (MI).

Parag returned to captain the side with the equation simple: if RR won their final game they would qualify for the playoffs, if they lost they would be knocked out. He had missed their previous game, against Lucknow Super Giants, because of a hamstring injury. Parag scored 14 off 8 at the Wankhede on Sunday, and was seen walking gingerly around the field as RR defended 205. "Yeah, I'm definitely not fit… I was not supposed to play today, I'm not supposed to play another game [in this season]," he said after RR beat MI by 30 runs.

When asked if he will play the Eliminator against Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 27, he said: "Yeah, of course." All-round Archer helps RR secure last playoffs spot Parag: Want to captain the way cricket should be played - smart, aggressive, courageous RR qualify; PBKS and KKR knocked out RR had lost three games in a row but wins in their last two games helped them qualify for the playoffs on the last day of the league stage. "We should have qualified way earlier," Parag said, displaying little emotion at having qualified. "We left it a little too late, I think we left a lot on the table. And I feel we're picking up the slack after losing three games in a row.

Hopefully we learn from all our mistakes and we put up a better show." RR set MI a target of 206 at the Wankhede, and overcame a late surge by Suryakumar Yadav (60 off 42) and Hardik Pandya (34 off 15) to seal the 30-run win. RR made a few significant calls which worked out on the day, promoting Jofra Archer to No. 7, and then bringing him back for his final over in the 16th over to take out Pandya. "I've taken a lot of brave calls, actually, this season," Parag said. "But that's how I like to lead, that's how I lead Assam as well.

Of course, different level, different things as well, but I feel you've got to take your chances. It's not a gamble, but of course you think about it a lot." Parag also praised 19-year-old Yash Raj Punja, who took 2 for 44, while Brijesh Sharma took 2 for 26, to derail MI's chase. "I don't usually praise them a lot, so they don't get all bloated and stuff. After today, I think they deserve it.

Brijesh, the way he's come back, after getting a few games here and there, the way he's gone for some runs in the last few overs - how he bowled today, how he's been bowling… "And Punja, I think [going] from a net bowler to his journey right now, being the lead spinner, I think, remarkable job. I hope they do it for another one game, and then, another two games." Riyan ParagMumbai IndiansRajasthan RoyalsMI vs RRIndian Premier League Terms of Use • Privacy Policy • EU Privacy Rights • Cookie Policy • Feedback