Riyan Parag’s Historic Six-Six Blitz Falls Just Short as Rajasthan Lose Thriller to KKR
Royals’ Captain Becomes First in IPL History to Hit Six Sixes Off Consecutive Balls
KOLKATA, INDIA — In a game that had Eden Gardens on its feet and fans around the world glued to their screens, Riyan Parag delivered a breathtaking batting masterclass on Sunday night, becoming the first player in IPL history to hit six sixes off six consecutive legal deliveries faced. But despite the fireworks, the Rajasthan Royals fell just short, losing by one run to the Kolkata Knight Riders in a high-octane thriller.
Parag’s Explosive 95 Nearly Pulls Off Miracle Chase
Chasing a daunting target of 207, Rajasthan looked completely out of the contest at 71 for 5 in the eighth over. But Parag, leading from the front, scored a blistering 95 off just 45 balls, reigniting hopes of an unlikely comeback. His innings was packed with power, precision, and panache.
The turning point came in the 13th over, bowled by Moeen Ali, when Parag went on a rampage. After a single from Shimron Hetmyer off the first ball brought him on strike, Parag launched into attack mode—hitting four consecutive sixes. Moeen tried to escape the carnage by bowling wide, but Parag wasn’t finished. The final ball of the over also disappeared into the stands.
Next over, Varun Chakravarthy took the ball—and Parag, undeterred, reverse-swept the first delivery over backward point for his sixth six in a row, an unprecedented feat in the league’s 17-season history.
“The ground is very, very fast. So I knew I had my boundaries if I just stood in there,” Parag explained post-match. “The wicket was a little tricky… it was stopping and turning. I just had to pick my battles and I thought I did that pretty well until I got out.”
His dismissal in the 18th over proved to be the decisive blow. Despite Rajasthan’s fightback, they ended up on 205—just one run short.
Record-Breaking Season for Parag, But Royals Miss Out
Parag’s innings not only made history but also solidified his position among the league’s most aggressive hitters this season. The 23-year-old has now smashed 26 sixes, placing him fourth on the six-hitters’ leaderboard, behind leader Nicholas Pooran of the Lucknow Super Kings, who has 34.
Yet, despite Parag’s heroics, the loss leaves Rajasthan Royals at eighth in the ten-team standings, officially knocking them out of playoff contention this season.
Parag’s performance will be remembered for its sheer audacity and brilliance. In a game of narrow margins, he gave fans a reason to believe and left the cricketing world in awe—even if the result didn’t go his way.
