Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) captain Rishabh Pant was already under pressure going into the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. He had a poor season last year, and is also out of contention fora place in the Indian side. He would have hoped to get going right from the outset in the first match of the season against his former side Delhi Capitals (DC), but that was not the case as he was run-out at the non-striker’s end.
Mitchell Marsh smashed one off Mukesh Kumar back to the bowler. Mukesh got some hand on it and the ball crashed into the wickets. Pant, who was backing up, was well short of his crease and was dismissed for just seven off nine deliveries.
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This was just the sixth time Pant opened the innings in IPL. He has managed just 132 runs from six innings at a strike rate of 128.15 while opening, going past fifty just once – way back in 2016. As far as national selection is concerned, Pant, as things stands, is well behind Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan in the pecking order and also has to fend off competition from Jitesh Sharma, KL Rahul and Dhruv Jurel to earn a place back into the side.
LSG were bowled out for just 141 and have their task cut out if they are to make a match of this. Abdul Samad top-scored with 36, while Marsh scored 35. As far as the bowling is concerned, Lungi Ngidi and T Natarajan picked up three wickets apiece for DC.
Earlier, DC skipper Axar Patel won the toss and opted to bowl. All four previous matches in IPL 2026 have been won by the team batting second.
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