Lucknow Super Giants captain Rishabh Pant produced a breathtaking moment in the field to send Liam Livingstone back during IPL 2026 action on Sunday. The dismissal came in the eighth over of Sunrisers Hyderabad’s innings, when Livingstone attempted to sweep a ball bowled by Digvesh Rathi, only to edge it into the air. Pant moved one step to his left, launched to the right, and took a one-handed catch that ended the batter’s stay at the crease.
How the Pant catch turned the innings
Livingstone’s attempt to paddle the delivery from Rathi did not come off. The ball popped off the edge, and Pant reacted quickly—judging the trajectory early, going full stretch to the right, and completing the catch with one hand. The wicket mattered immediately for LSG, coming at a stage when SRH were still trying to build a platform.
- The key dismissal arrived in the 8th over of SRH’s innings.
- Digvesh Rathi was the bowler, while Liam Livingstone was the batter dismissed.
- Pant took a high-impact one-handed catch after Livingstone edged a paddle attempt.
Match context: toss, team plans and early-season pressure
In the build-up to the contest, Lucknow won the toss and opted to bowl first against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Both sides entered the match seeking stability early in the season, though their concerns differed. SRH have been inconsistent, absorbing a heavy defeat at the hands of Royal Challengers Bangalore before responding with a more confident win versus Kolkata Knight Riders. LSG, meanwhile, came off a disappointing loss to Delhi Capitals, with attention shifting to their batting structure and selection calls.
LSG’s recent struggles and the batting question
After the earlier setback, LSG’s approach appeared to be under scrutiny. The promotion of Rishabh Pant into the top order did not deliver the desired outcome, and the middle phase faltered following early wickets. By the end of that disappointing effort, LSG had managed 141 runs, and in this game they faced a narrow margin for error. With pressure not sustained by the bowlers in the previous match, the team would have been keen to tighten execution.
- LSG have faced criticism over their batting framework and selection choices.
- Pant’s promotion to the top order earlier did not yield the intended returns.
- Early wickets in the previous match left LSG’s middle order struggling.
- That earlier innings ended with LSG scoring 141 runs.
What it means for SRH and the captain’s words
The impact of Pant’s breakthrough was not only about removing Livingstone at a crucial point—it also fed into SRH’s overall collapse. After the wicket, Sunrisers were restricted to a total of 35 runs for the loss of four wickets, which was enough to see them fall to the fourth-lowest 10-over score in IPL history. From Ishan Kishan’s side, the innings never really found traction, and the team’s struggle reflected in the scoreboard.
Head-to-head mindset: Pant and Kishan on tactics
Speaking after winning the toss, Pant outlined a clear strategy. He said the pitch looked favorable for bowling first, backed the idea of applying pressure during the second innings, and suggested the ball might grip after the initial overs. Pant also confirmed a single personnel change: Manimaran Siddarth came into the XI, while Nortje was left out.
- Pant wanted SRH to bat first and said LSG would pressure them in the chase.
- He believed the wicket could assist later, with the ball potentially sticking after the first six overs.
- Team change: Manimaran Siddarth in, Nortje out.
On SRH’s side, captain Ishan Kishan expressed satisfaction about playing in front of the home crowd and described two changes to the playing XI. Livingstone and Harshal Patel were brought into the squad, with Kishan pointing out that Harshal has often performed well on this stage. He added that Livingstone would provide off-spin options. Kishan also stressed that decision-making and execution of plans would be central, while reminding the group to stay calm and treat the contest one match at a time in their pursuit of two points.
- Kishan said he was happy to be playing before the home crowd.
- Two changes for SRH: Livingstone and Harshal Patel come in.
- Kishan highlighted Harshal’s record and said Livingstone would add off-spin.
- He stressed that decision-making and execution of plans are crucial.
- He urged calmness and taking the match one step at a time to secure two points.
With the innings shaped by that pivotal eighth-over catch and the overall scoring collapse, LSG will look to carry forward the momentum. For SRH, the match underlined the importance of building partnerships early—something they will aim to address quickly as the season continues.
