IPL 2026 | 'I don't need to answer critics': Riyan Parag's blunt take after Rajasthan Royals loss

NEW DELHI: Coming into the match after being fined 25% of his match fee and handed one demerit point for breaching Level 1 of the IPL’s Code of Conduct - for using a vape inside the dressing room - Riyan Parag ensured he put the controversy behind him when he walked out to bat against Delhi Capitals.

The Rajasthan Royals captain looked in ominous touch, smashing a superb half-century. He appeared set for a well-deserved hundred but fell just short, scoring a brilliant 90 off 50 balls, including eight fours and five sixes, to power his side to 225/6 in 20 overs.

However, despite the strong total, Delhi Capitals snapped their three-match losing streak with a commanding seven-wicket win.

Parag, after the match, made it clear that outside criticism does not bother him, but his primary responsibility is to deliver results for the team.

"I don't think I need to answer any critics or anyone talking about it. But at the end of the day, my job is to get two points. So my score and my innings don't really matter if we lose the game," Parag said after the match.

A blistering 110-run opening stand between KL Rahul (75 off 40) and Pathum Nissanka (62 off 33) laid the perfect foundation for a record 226-run chase, which was calmly finished by Tristan Stubbs (18*) and Ashutosh Sharma (25*) with five balls to spare.

"I think it was a good score. I thought 200 was a par score here. It was going to slow down a bit, but I think we could have bowled way better in the middle overs, not let them get away a little too much. And then a lot of boundaries in one single over and that repeated. So I felt we missed the trick with that, but no harm with the decision we made," Parag said.

Parag had earlier been fined 25% of his match fee and handed a demerit point after he was caught vaping inside the dressing room during his side’s match against Punjab Kings.

He admitted to the offence and accepted the sanction imposed by match referee Amit Sharma.

Parag was found to have breached Article 2.21 of the IPL’s Code of Conduct, which relates to “conduct that brings the game into disrepute.” The incident occurred during the second innings when he was seen using a vape inside the dressing room.