“It is important to play well rather than think about luck”: Rishabh Pant Reflects on Missed Stumping That Cost LSG the Match Against DC
In what turned out to be one of the most nail-biting finishes of IPL 2025 so far, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) suffered a painful defeat at the hands of Delhi Capitals (DC), losing by just one wicket. At the heart of the dramatic conclusion was a missed stumping chance by LSG captain Rishabh Pant, a moment that ultimately turned the tide in Delhi’s favor.
The match had reached a boiling point in the final over. Delhi, down to their last wicket, needed runs with very little margin for error.
Shahbaz Ahmed tossed up a clever delivery that completely beat Mohit Sharma, who had ventured far down the pitch. All Pant needed to do was gather the ball and whip off the bails.
But in a surprising lapse, he fumbled the take, allowing Mohit to sneak a single. That missed chance proved fatal, as Ashutosh Sharma dispatched the next delivery into the stands, sealing an incredible comeback win for DC.
Rishabh Pant, addressing the media post-match, didn’t hide from the responsibility. “Cricket’s a funny game. Sometimes, you want luck on your side, but at the end of the day, it’s about sticking to the basics and executing under pressure,” he said. “We played some good cricket throughout the game, but those small moments matter, and we didn’t get them right today.”
Pant’s self-awareness stood out, especially in a game where his mistake overshadowed many positives. LSG, after all, had posted a competitive total of 209/8. Mitchell Marsh and Nicholas Pooran led the batting charge with aggressive half-centuries, punishing the DC bowlers and setting the tone early in the innings.
Despite the early onslaught, Delhi’s Kuldeep Yadav bowled with great control, finishing with an impressive 2/20 in his four overs and keeping LSG from running away with the match.
Chasing 210, Delhi got off to a horror start, losing three wickets for just eight runs. LSG bowlers, especially Khaleel Ahmed and Noor Ahmad, had DC on the ropes. The game appeared to be a one-sided affair until Ashutosh Sharma walked in and completely rewrote the script.
The 25-year-old batter unleashed a stunning assault, scoring an unbeaten 66 off just 31 deliveries, hammering five boundaries and five towering sixes. What made the knock even more special was the composure he showed under extreme pressure, guiding a faltering chase with maturity beyond his years.
That one moment—the missed stumping—stood as the turning point. For Pant, a seasoned wicketkeeper and now captain of a new franchise, the mistake was uncharacteristic. However, he didn’t make excuses. “We’re still finding our rhythm as a squad. It’s just the beginning of the season, and we’ll learn from this,” he added.
While Pant’s leadership has been under the microscope, his honest admission and clarity of thought might serve LSG well in the long run. Mistakes in cricket are inevitable, but how players respond to them is what sets teams apart over the course of a long season.
Lucknow’s squad, loaded with power-hitters and experienced bowlers, certainly has the firepower to go deep into the tournament. However, as Pant pointed out, it’s the little things—like collecting a ball cleanly or maintaining focus in crunch moments—that decide matches.
As the IPL 2025 season rolls on, LSG will look to regroup quickly. The game against DC will serve as a tough reminder that even the smallest slip can cost a team dearly. But with a captain willing to take accountability and a talented lineup behind him, LSG still has every reason to remain optimistic.
