New Delhi: It was an anxious moment. Rishabh Pant and Lucknow Supergiants in their prime IPL clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Wednesday, as the skipper was forced off the field after suffering a painful blow to the elbow.Pant had just come in to bat and was struggling to get going against Josh Hazlewood. In fact, he faced three consecutive dot balls, which failed to connect properly with pace and bounce. The pressure was mounting, and things went from bad to worse.
On the first delivery of the fifth over, Pant took an aggressive shot across the line, but it went wide. The very next ball saw him attempt another big hit, only to be beaten again by Hazlewood’s pace. Then came the crucial moment, a short delivery that hit Pant painfully on his left elbow. Replays later confirmed the impact, and it was clear he was in serious pain.Almost immediately, physios rushed to the field as Pant writhed in pain. He tried to move forward but was visibly struggling. In an emotional moment, Hazlewood approached him and Pant gave him a reassuring pat on the back as he decided to leave the field. As she walked she looked close to tears and highlighted how much pain she was in.With Pant unable to continue, Nicholas Pooran came in as a substitute batsman. The sudden change affected LSG’s momentum, especially when they had already lost. Aidan Markram In the first inningsIt turned into a tough phase for LSG, with Pant’s injury becoming the biggest talking point in the opening overs.
