Lungi Ngidi hospitalised after sustaining head injury during DC vs PBKS IPL 2026 clash
New Delhi, April 25
Delhi Capitals fast bowler Lungi Ngidi was stretchered off into an ambulance and taken off the field to eventually be hospitalised after suffering a head injury in the team's Indian Premier League 2026 match against Punjab Kings at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Saturday.
In the third over of Punjab Kings' innings, bowled by Axar Patel, Lungi Ngidi went for a catch off a lofted shot from Priyansh Arya. He tracked the ball while back-pedalling but never seemed in control of the attempt, stretching backwards without getting a fingertip to it. In the process, he landed heavily on his head, making for a worrying moment on the field.
The Delhi Capitals camp was visibly worried as a stretcher was brought onto the field for Lungi Ngidi. The team physio and doctors attended to him while he lay on the ground. An ambulance later arrived on the field, and even opposition coach Ricky Ponting walked out to check on the situation.
Ngidi was eventually taken off the field in the ambulance and was transported to Max Hospital, Pusa Road in Karol Bagh, for further treatment.
Sri Lanka's Dushmantha Chameera replaced Ngidi for the rest of the DC vs PBKS match.
Coming to the match, Punjab Kings responded in great fashion with the bat after being given a stern task of chasing the 265-run total. PBKS reached 116/0 in 6 overs at the time of writing, with Prabhsimran Singh playing at 71 off 23 balls and Priyansh Arya playing a 38 off 14 balls.
Earlier in the match, led by an unbeaten 67-ball 152 run knock from KL Rahul and a 91 from Rana, the Capitals dismantled the Punjab bowling attack to post 264/2.
The innings began steadily for Delhi Capitals. While PBKS got rid of Pathum Nissanka early, a dropped catch of KL Rahul by Shashank Singh proved costly as the batter went on to annihilate the Punjab bowlers.
Rahul reached his century, the batter's sixth in IPL history, in 47 balls, while Rana provided explosive support with his 91, including a 28-run over against Xavier Bartlett. The duo maintained relentless scoring through the middle overs, taking DC past 200 in just 16 overs despite efforts from PBKS bowlers Arshdeep Singh, Marcus Stoinis, and Yuzvendra Chahal.
DC finished strongly despite Rana's late dismissal, adding nine runs in the final over to set a massive target. Punjab Kings' bowlers struggled throughout, with only Arshdeep and Bartlett taking wickets in an otherwise one-sided batting display.
— ANI
Reader Comments
😢 Bro, that catch attempt was scary. He went for it like a warrior but landed badly. Big respect to Ricky Ponting for walking out to check on him — shows sportsmanship beyond rivalry. But the real hero is the DC physio team who rushed in. Hope Ngidi bounces back soon.
Is it just me or are these injuries becoming too common in IPL? Players are diving and risking their necks for catches. I feel for Ngidi. And KL Rahul's 152 was absolutely brilliant, but this incident overshadowed everything. Get well soon, Lungi! 🙏
Look, I love IPL as much as the next guy, but sometimes the intensity takes a toll. Ngidi's injury is a wake-up call for BCCI to mandate better protective gear for fielders — maybe padded headgear for close-in catchers? Also, DC's 264/2 batting was fire, but the match lost its joy after that incident. Hoping for his full recovery. 🙏
Cricket mein itna risk kyun? Players literally risk their lives for catches. I'm glad the medical attention was swift — ambulance on field is not something we see often in Indian cricket. BC, but hope Ngidi is stable. The hospital is nearby at Pusa Road so that's good. Speedy recovery, big man! 🏏💪
As a cricket fan from the US, I've been following IPL closely. Ngidi's injury reminds me of the Phil Hughes tragedy. Cricket boards need to take head injuries very seriously. I'm glad the protocols were followed. Hope he recovers fully and
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