Rishabh Pant’s wicketkeeping blunder became the cynosure of LSG’s one-wicket loss against Delhi Capitals.
It wasn’t the debut Rishabh Pant was expecting in Vizag on Monday. Playing his first match for Lucknow Super Giants, where he donned the captain’s armband, Pant suffered a six-ball duck, before erring on his captaincy. Eventually, a wicketkeeping blunder became the cynosure of LSG’s one-wicket loss against Delhi Capitals.
Rishabh Pant blunder the cost LSG against DC
Ashutosh Sharma’s heroics single-handedly reduced the equation to a run-a-ball note for Delhi heading into the final over. Yet, Lucknow were still in the game with No. 11 Mohit Sharma on strike at the start of the 20th over. Spinner Shahbaz Ahmed dished out an absolute ripper on good length on middle as the batter looked to play it through the on-side and, in a bid, shimmied down the track. But the ball turned away sharply.
Mohit was well outside the crease when the ball went past his bat, leaving Pant with the opportunity to inflict the stumping and pick the final wicket. But he missed the chance. The captain, however, opted for a DRS review, which was quickly turned down as the ball turned a bit too much, thus missing the off stump. Pant was in absolute disbelief looking at the replay on the screen and probably regretting the missed opportunity to stump Mohit out.
Mohit put Ashutosh back on strike in the second ball, before the latter wrapped up the chase with a six on the delivery.
‘Luck plays a part in this game’
Speaking about the incident in the post-match presentation, Pant did not wish to dwell much on it as he dismissed it as “luck” and that it is a common occurrence that can happen in a game of cricket.
“Definitely, luck plays a part in this game, and if it could have missed his (Mohit Sharma’s) pads, it was a chance for stumping. But these things happen in the game of cricket. You can’t focus on these things, but rather, you need to play better cricket,” Pant said.
Lucknow will play their next game at home, at the Ekana Stadium, against Punjab Kings next week, while Delhi will host Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday in Vizag.
