Delhi Capitals were left rattled after a frightening mid-match incident involving Lungi Ngidi during their encounter with Punjab Kings. The fast bowler landed awkwardly after going for a catch, and the atmosphere around the ground instantly shifted from play to worry. Head coach Hemang Badani later said the concern in the dugout was immediate, particularly when Ngidi failed to react to straightforward instructions while he was down.
The incident happened in the third over. Priyansh Arya attempted to take on Axar Patel with a high, lofted shot. Ngidi moved back while tracking the ball, but he couldn’t line himself up properly. Losing balance as he chased the opportunity, he couldn’t secure the catch and instead fell in a way that resulted in his head striking the turf. Play was stopped right away as the medical team rushed in, with players from both sides keeping their eyes fixed on Ngidi.
Ngidi was stretchered off and taken to hospital, quickly bringing a hush over the venue. The fear, though, didn’t last long. The South African recovered well and returned to the Delhi Capitals XI for the match against Chennai Super Kings on May 5, helping ease the worries that had briefly looked serious.
Badani described how quickly panic spread in the moments after the injury, explaining that the uncertainty deepened when the pacer didn’t respond at first. He also praised the speed of the medical staff and the later scan results that confirmed Ngidi was safe.
"Ohh, tell me about it. We were all worried for him when it happened. We were all like, will he be okay? Because I was literally on the ground when that happened. I mean, within the next five odd minutes, he wasn’t responding to anything. He wasn’t responding to simple things like, can you lift your hand? Can you lift your right hand, your left finger, your left thumb? There was no response. At that point, we were all panicking. But I thought Craig, our physio, did a fabulous job to make sure that he was in the ambulance quickly. Later in the evening, we got to figure out with the scans that he’s okay, and now he’s seen back on the park," Badani said in conversation with broadcasters.
Ngidi marks his return, but DC fall short against CSK
Ngidi returned to action with a controlled spell versus Chennai Super Kings, ending with figures of 1 for 30 in his four overs. He tightened the game when scoring was difficult and stuck closely to his plans, giving Delhi Capitals a measure of control. However, Delhi couldn’t turn that effort into a winning position. Chasing a modest target of 156, CSK’s batters managed the chase with composure, and the pressure DC hoped to build never fully materialised.
Despite the disciplined display from Ngidi, Delhi Capitals were unable to hold their nerve and ultimately lost by a significant margin.
