Rishabh Pant played a captain’s hand as he guided Lucknow Super Giants home against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Sunday. The left-hander played an unbeaten 68-run knock off 52 balls to help the team register their first win of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season. However, it wasn’t as straightforward as it seemed. The match was tricky, as Sunrisers Hyderabad made a game of it and kept pegging LSG back. However, in the end, Pant brought all his experience into play to take his team over the line in the final over of the game.
In the final over bowled by Jaydev Unadkat, Pant smashed three boundaries to seal a five-wicket win for LSG with two balls to spare. As soon as the match-winning shot was hit, the cameras panned to LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka, who looked a bit emotional.
The LSG owner, known to be really passionate about his team, placed his hand over his chest and was on the verge of tears.
After the game ended, Goenka was also seen hugging Pant on the ground and having a brief conversation with him.
Pant was slow off the blocks in the 157-run chase, but he increased the tempo of his knock when it mattered the most. The left-hander kept losing partners at the other end, but ensured that his team didn’t lose two matches on the bounce.
The experiment of having Pant open the batting lasted just one match, as he came out to bat at No.3 in the fixture against SRH. Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh opened the batting just like the previous season, while Nicholas Pooran batted at No.5.
Mohammed Shami was adjudged as Player of the Match after he conceded just nine runs against SRH and took the wickets of Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head.
Equation between Goenka and Pant
After LSG’s loss against the Delhi Capitals earlier this week, Goenka was seen having an animated chat with Pant and head coach Justin Langer. This conversation once again raised plenty of eyebrows, with the LSG owner facing flak.
However, a day later, LSG’s social media team posted a video of the same incident, saying not everyone knows the full picture. The small clip showed Pant, Goenka and Langer laughing around and having a light conversation.
In the opening match for LSG in the IPL 2026, Pant opened the batting alongside Marsh, where he scored just seven runs, before being run out at the non-striker’s end.
LSG will next face the Kolkata Knight Riders on Thursday, April 9 at the Ekana in Lucknow.
