PBKS vs RR: ‘That is their concern, not ours…’ — Captain Riyan Parag responds to critics after defeating Punjab.

Batting brilliantly, the Rajasthan Royals defeated the Punjab Kings by 6 wickets with 4 balls to spare. While chasing a target of 223 runs, the RR team faced moments of pressure; however, relying on the strength of their middle order, they successfully clinched the match. The heroes of Rajasthan's victory were Donovan Ferreira and Shubham Dubey, who forged an unbeaten 77-run partnership off just 32 balls for the fifth wicket, completely turning the tide of the game.

With this win, the Rajasthan team halted PBKS's winning streak in the 2026 IPL season. Following the victory, Captain Riyan Parag silenced critics regarding the questions that had been raised about the team's middle order. He stated that while everyone else was worried, that was *their* concern—not theirs.

What did Riyan Parag say after winning the match?

In fact, despite occasional wobbles during the middle stages of the ongoing 2026 IPL season, the RR team has been highly impressive. A major factor behind their success this season has been the magnificent form of their opening pair: Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Yashasvi Jaiswal.

However, there had been some concerns regarding the performance of the middle order—an area where Riyan Parag's own form had also come under scrutiny. He had scored 117 runs across 9 innings at a strike rate of 124. Yet, following the victory against Punjab, Captain Riyan Parag put an end to all those apprehensions, delivering a sharp retort to the critics who had questioned RR's middle order.

Captain Riyan remarked:

"For all the spectators and all the commentators—those were *their* concerns, not ours. We have immense faith in our players and their capabilities. When the middle order doesn't fire, the openers, the number three batsman, and the lower order have to step up and shoulder the responsibility."

During the post-match presentation, Parag also expressed his belief that this match was arguably RR's finest performance of the tournament so far. He further added:

"Yes, 100 percent. I feel we could have bowled a bit better in a few overs here and there, and batted a little better during the middle overs; but overall—I would say for about 35 overs—we played well. You will never truly get a perfect 40-over performance, but the aspiration to play good cricket for the full 40 overs should always be there."

Parag stated that the team is striving to identify areas for improvement after every match of the current season and is moving forward accordingly. He remarked, "I feel that, as a team—keeping in mind the discussions we had just before the tournament began—we approach this simply as a game. I know there is immense significance attached to everything surrounding it, but for us, I think it boils down to the same principle: just as when we lost the previous match, our focus was on the mistakes and lapses we made, as well as what we did well—the very same applies today."