Delhi Capitals fast bowler Lungi Ngidi is described as “stable” and is expected to be released shortly from a local hospital after undergoing a medical check following a head injury during his side’s IPL encounter against Punjab Kings in Delhi on Saturday. The South African was taken off the field by ambulance after he slammed his head into the ground while going for a catch. He was subsequently admitted to BLK-Max Super Speciality Hospital in the city for assessment.
In an update shared on social media, the IPL stated that the 30-year-old right-arm pacer reported symptoms including headache and neck pain, but remained “stable” at the time of the examination. The league also mentioned that a concussion substitute, Vipraj Nigam, was brought on to continue the match proceedings.
A CT scan performed on Ngidi returned normal results, and he was being evaluated by a neurosurgeon, a source said. The same source added that if all medical parameters stayed within normal limits, he was likely to be discharged soon.
The incident happened in the second over of the match. Ngidi was attempting to take a mishit from Punjab opener Priyansh Arya off Axar Patel on the third ball. However, he misread the ball’s flight and it slipped past his outstretched right hand as he was airborne, forcing him to land awkwardly.
As a result, the Proteas player came down on his back, and the rear side of his head struck the Arun Jaitley Stadium surface, leaving him in significant discomfort. He immediately covered his head, trying to recover from the impact, while ground staff rushed in with a stretcher.
Ngidi was seen responding to the support team as teammates Tristan Stubbs and David Miller, along with Punjab Kings head coach Ricky Ponting and Delhi Capitals head coach Hemang Badani, moved in to check on him. He was then stretchered into the waiting ambulance before being taken to the hospital for further evaluation.
As Ngidi was being transported, Delhi Traffic Police arranged a “green corridor” to help the ambulance reach the hospital quickly despite heavy traffic near Arun Jaitley Stadium. Officials said they received information about the medical emergency during the high-intensity match and immediately coordinated with relevant authorities after learning the player required an urgent transfer to hospital.
ACP Traffic (Central District) Sanjay Singh coordinated with the Police Control Room and oversaw the setup of the green corridor to ensure the ambulance could move without interruption. With the combined efforts of traffic personnel, the vehicle reached the hospital in 11 minutes, cutting through peak-hour congestion, police officials said.
