Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], April 12 : Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) skipper Rishabh Pant admitted that his side fell short with the bat after suffering a seven-wicket defeat to the Gujarat Titans (GT) in their IPL 2026 clash at the Ekana Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
Speaking at the post-match presentation, Pant acknowledged that the pitch required a stronger total, suggesting that LSG were below par despite moments of promise in their innings.
"See, definitely not enough runs. There's nothing. From the fact that they bowled well. I think in a wicket like this, a score like 170 to 180 is a really good score. But, you know, the wicket kept on falling, and they put enough pressure on us to get those wickets going," Pant said.
He added that although LSG had opportunities during the match, they failed to capitalise on key moments that could have shifted momentum.
"There were opportunities in the game. We just couldn't grab it enough," he said.
Pant also backed his batting unit, stressing that the tournament has just begun and there is no need for panic within the camp. He emphasised trust in the experienced players to deliver in upcoming matches.
"See, definitely it's a great lineup. But the tournament has just started here, you know. We're not putting pressure on players because, especially the senior guys, they know what to do," he said.
The LSG captain further expressed confidence that the team will bounce back soon, highlighting belief within the squad despite back-to-back setbacks.
"Yeah, there are times when you perform and you just can't. But at the same time, you know, the trust and belief in the camp is enough. And we know he's going to come soon enough. It's always positive," Pant concluded.
Coming to the match, Gujarat produced a dominant all-round performance to defeat LSG by seven wickets in their IPL 2026 clash at the Ekana Cricket Stadium on Sunday, powered by a brilliant bowling display from Prasidh Krishna and composed half-centuries from Shubman Gill and Jos Buttler.
LSG, after being asked to bat first by GT skipper Shubman Gill, were restricted to 164/8 in 20 overs despite a fighting effort from Aiden Markram. The innings never fully gained momentum as GT's bowlers struck at regular intervals, with Prasidh Krishna delivering a match-defining spell of 4/28. He removed key batters Aiden Markram, Ayush Badoni, Nicholas Pooran, and Mukul Choudhary, breaking the backbone of the LSG innings.
LSG had early intent through Mitchell Marsh, who hit a quick 11, and Rishabh Pant, who contributed 18, but both failed to convert starts into substantial scores. Markram's 30 off 21 balls, including five fours and a six, was the top score of the innings. Despite a late push from George Linde (16 off 10) and Mohammed Shami (12 off 5), LSG could not cross 170.
In reply, GT chased down the 165-run target comfortably, finishing at 165/3 in 18.4 overs with eight balls to spare. The foundation of the chase was laid by Sai Sudharsan and Shubman Gill, who started cautiously before shifting gears. Gill was particularly aggressive against Mohammed Shami in the fifth over, striking multiple boundaries in a 20-run over.
Although Sai Sudharsan fell for 15 off 14 balls to Digvesh Rathi, GT remained in control as Jos Buttler joined Gill and accelerated the innings. The duo quickly took GT past the 50-run mark in 5.5 overs and dominated the middle phase of the chase.
Gill brought up his second consecutive fifty, scoring 56 off 40 balls with six fours and a six, while also crossing 4,000 IPL runs during the innings. Buttler, meanwhile, was even more aggressive, smashing 60 off 37 balls with 11 fours, reaching his second successive half-century and also completing 14,000 runs in T20 cricket.
Their 84-run partnership proved decisive before Prince Yadav dismissed Gill, caught behind by Rishabh Pant. Mohammed Shami later removed Buttler, but by then GT were firmly in control at 129/2.
Washington Sundar (21* off 13) and Rahul Tewatia (10*) ensured there were no late hiccups as GT comfortably sealed the win at 165/3. For LSG, Shami, Prince Yadav, and Digvesh Rathi picked up one wicket each, but their efforts were not enough to defend the total.
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