Talented Indian all-rounder Riyan Parag spoke about his brilliant bowling performance in the first T20I against Sri Lanka, played at Pallekele. Known for his talent with the bat, Parag produced impressive bowling figures of 3-5 in 1.2 overs and dealt a deadly blow to Sri Lanka.
With the bat, Riyan Parag came in to bat at No. 6 with India looking for quick runs. But the youngster was dismissed by a blistering yorker from Matheesha Pathirana for just 7 off 6 balls. Despite not having a great day with the bat, he made sure to perform well with the ball and took three wickets in the end.
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Riyan Parag reveals his game plan
After the match, Parag was asked about his game plan and his amazing bowling performance. The youngster revealed that he constantly practices bowling in the nets and is always prepared to bowl in such situations.
“I love bowling. I play a lot behind the scenes. I think there was communication in the nets about where and how to bowl. We prepared for that kind of situation with Gautam (Gambhir) sir, if we are to bowl in the 16th or 17th over, what lines and lengths we need to bowl,” Parag said in a video posted by BCCI on X (formerly Twitter).
“The boys made it easy for me. I had to bowl from stump to stump because the ball was spinning,” added the 22-year-old all-rounder.
🎥 Showing some of #TeamIndiaThe stars of the first T20I 🙌#SLvIND | @surya_14kumar | @akshar2026 | @ParagRiyan image.twitter.com/LRG1ZiIiQa
— BCCI (@BCCI) July 28, 2024
Meanwhile, India captain Suryakumar Yadav was also impressed with Riyan Parag’s bowling performance and called him an “X-factor” of the team.
“I have seen Riyan (Parag) bowl in the IPL before and in the nets as well. I said in the press conference that he has that X-factor. If the batsmen keep bowling like that, my job will be a lot easier (smiles),” Suryakumar Yadav said.
With 56 points needed in the last 4 overs, India captain Suryakumar Yadav bowled the ball to Riyan Parag. A wicket fell in the next ball but did not go into Parag’s bag as Dasun Shanaka was out without facing a ball.
After two balls, Parag got his first wicket by removing the dangerous Kamindu Mendis for 12 in 8 balls. It was a perfect ball from the offspinner bowled at perfect speed on this pitch.
The 22-year-old got the ball in his hands in the last over of the match. Parag wasted no time and finished the game in the first two balls as he took the remaining two wickets. The youngster bowled lines from stump to stump and smashed the stumps of Maheesh Theekshana and Dilshan Madushanka.
Riyan Parag’s performance on the pitches was a big positive for India. India has been struggling to find a batsman who can bowl some crucial overs for a long time. Parag’s performance on the pitches will certainly give confidence to the team management who were desperately looking for this skill set.
