Riyan Parag admitted Rajasthan Royals should have secured playoff qualification earlier after a dominant 30-run victory over Mumbai Indians in IPL 2026, praising Jofra Archer and young bowlers for their match-winning performances at Wankhede Stadium.
The Rajasthan Royals booked their place in the IPL 2026 playoffs with an impressive 30-run victory over the Mumbai Indians at the iconic Wankhede Stadium on Sunday. Despite the crucial win, Rajasthan captain Riyan Parag admitted that his side should have secured qualification much earlier in the tournament.
Rajasthan Royals had looked one of the strongest teams during the first half of the season, winning six of their opening nine matches. However, three consecutive defeats placed their playoff hopes under pressure before the team regained momentum with back-to-back wins in their final league games.
Speaking after the match, Parag expressed satisfaction over the result but also pointed out areas where the team still needs improvement ahead of the knockout stage.
“Feels good when things go to plan. We’ve won, but there are still many things we need to do better. We should have qualified way earlier,” said Parag after the victory.
The Royals posted a competitive total of 205/8 despite struggling in the middle overs. Early dismissals of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi left the batting unit under pressure, and Rajasthan were reduced to 119/5 at one stage.
The innings was revived by a powerful late assault from Jofra Archer, who smashed 32 runs off just 15 deliveries. Valuable contributions from Ravindra Jadeja and Nandre Burger also helped the Royals cross the 200-run mark.
Parag admitted he expected one of the set batters to convert their start into a major innings but praised Jadeja for delivering a quick cameo when required.
“We needed runs at that stage. That’s why we sent Jadeja in, and he provided the momentum we wanted,” the skipper explained.
Mumbai Indians never fully recovered after Archer delivered a devastating opening spell. The pace bowler dismissed Rohit Sharma for a duck and later removed Naman Dhir as Rajasthan reduced Mumbai to 38/4 inside six overs.
Although Suryakumar Yadav fought back with a well-made 60 and received support from Will Jacks and Hardik Pandya, Rajasthan regained control after Parag made a bold tactical decision to bring Archer back into the attack during the middle overs.
The move paid immediate dividends as Archer dismissed Pandya at a critical moment. Young bowlers Brijesh Sharma and Yash Raj Punja then delivered crucial breakthroughs to seal the memorable victory.
Parag credited the young bowlers for their outstanding performances throughout the season while also trying to keep them grounded.
“The way Brijesh has been bowling and Punja’s journey from a net bowler to this level has been exceptional,” he said.
The Rajasthan captain also revealed that he was not fully fit for the must-win encounter and was initially expected to miss the match. However, he confirmed that he would be available for Rajasthan’s crucial playoff clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Wednesday.
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“I was definitely not fit and wasn’t supposed to play today or the next game. But I will definitely play the next one,” Parag stated confidently.
With momentum returning at the perfect time, Rajasthan Royals now head into the playoffs hoping to continue their resurgence and strengthen their bid for the IPL 2026 title.
