The 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) clash between the Delhi Capitals (DC) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi saw some scary scenes as Lungi Ngidi suffered a serious injury during the third over of the second innings of the match. An ambulance had to be called to the ground as the severity of the situation emerged. The match saw a long break of 14 minutes.
Ngidi's situation looked serious just after the incident happened, as he was unable to move and had to be immediately placed on a stretcher. While the South African pacer was conscious, there was no movement as the team doctor continued the protocol. However, the pleasant news was that he was talking to the medical staff. The match was stopped for a long period. DC head coach Hemang Badani suggested that the player be fitted with a neck brace. An oxygen mask was also given to the player.
Later, the player was carried into the ambulance and taken away from the stadium to a hospital for further checkups. A report by ANI has revealed he was taken to the Max Hospital in Karol Bagh, which is around 7.4 kms away from the stadium.
Meanwhile, Viraj Nigam came on as a concussion substitute instead of Ngidi. While it appeared Sri Lankan pacer Dushmanta Chameera will come and he was even warming up, it was the uncapped Indian all-rounder who ultimately came on.
The incident took place on the third ball of the third over of PBKS' innings. On a delivery by DC skipper Axar Patel, Priyansh Arya attempted a big shot down the ground. Lungi Ngidi was fielding at mid-off and attempted to run backwards to take a catch. While he made a heroic attempt, it was not enough to get the wicket. As he dived for the ball, he tumbled and landed badly on his head, which caused the injury.
Talking about the match, DC posted a massive total of 264 on the board, which is their highest in the history of an IPL match. KL Rahul was the star of the show with a record-breaking knock as he became the first Indian to hit a 150 in the league's history. He made a 67-ball 152 and joined Chris Gayle and Brendon McCullum in the elite list. Rahul and Nitish Rana put up a massive partnership of 220 runs, which is the second-highest in the league's history. Rana made 91 runs in just 44 balls.
In reply, PBKS made a quick start on either side of Ngidi's injury. They posted 116 runs in the first six overs without losing a wicket. This is the second-highest powerplay score in IPL's history, behind Sunrisers Hyderabad's (SRH) 126 against DC in Delhi during the 2024 season of the league. Priyansh Arya (43 of 17) and Prabhsimran Singh (76 of 29) departed shortly after the power play ended.
Punjab are aiming to break their own record and chase the highest successful total in the history of T20 cricket.
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Aayush Kataria is a Senior Copy Editor at Times Network with four years of experience, having started his career in the organisation. He is a key memb...View More
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