The IPL 2026 encounter between Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Delhi Capitals (DC) As LSG captain at the Ekana Cricket Stadium, I witnessed a dramatic moment at the start of the innings Rishabh pants failed. Self-promoted to open the innings in a surprising tactical move, Pant’s experiment lasted just 7 runs off 9 balls before a strange dismissal that stunned the fans.
Looking to take control of the powerplay, Pant came out with his partner to open and aimed to inject early momentum into the innings. But the plan didn’t go as planned, luck playing a cruel role in cutting short his stay at the crease.
Rishabh Pant is dismissed unsuccessfully
The incident occurred in the last delivery of the third Mukesh Kumar. Aussie star Mitchell Marsh hit the ball firmly back towards the bowler. In an instinctive attempt to catch the returner, Mukesh’s fingertip managed to bend slightly. The ball bounced sharply and hit the stumps at the non-striker’s end.
Substantially supported, Pant was well caught at the crease before he had time to recover. What looked like an ordinary defensive shot suddenly turned into a goal, highlighting the unpredictable nature of the game. The dismissal clearly disappointed Pant as his rare outing ended in more failure than a clear mistake.
We present the video:
Bad run for Rishabh Pant to start the season 😮
Early success for @delhicapitals ☝️#LSG 37/1 in 5⃣
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— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 1, 2026
The opening role remains uncharted territory
Given Pant’s limited experience at the top of the order in the IPL, he decided to open his eyebrows even before his dismissal. Historically, he has been more effective in the middle ranks, especially around the No. 3 or No. 4 positions.
In the 2025 season, Pant played primarily at No. 4 in LSG, where he produced one of his outstanding performances – an unbeaten century. Royal Challengers Bengaluru. His exposure as an opener has been minimal with only a handful of innings between seasons. Even in his debut IPL season in 2016, he opened in a few matches but soon shifted to a middle-order role where he found more consistency.
The decision to introduce himself in such an important competition suggested a proactive approach from the LSG captain, but the execution did not yield the desired results.
LSG stumbled after an early setback
Pant’s dismissal led to a string of setbacks for Lucknow Super Giants as the team struggled to generate momentum. The batting unit faltered under pressure and lost key wickets in succession. Aiden Markram, Ayush Badoni, Nicholas Puran, and Marsh all finished in the top 10. At one stage LSG found themselves bowled out at 71/5, putting their middle order under immense pressure.
