Lucknow Super Giants captain Rishabh Pant used the word expletive 'F' in his team's assessment despite their ninth loss in the Indian Premier League 2026, with the latest one coming against the Rajasthan Royals on Tuesday, May 19. Pant's LSG have already been knocked out of the tournament and are playing to avoid the wooden spoon of finishing at the bottom of the points table.
The LSG skipper was asked about his upcoming clash against the Punjab Kings on Saturday. "We are proud as a team regardless of how our situation is right now. You know, the kind of team we have, we know we can win this. Regardless of anything, we are confident enough as a team and as individuals. It hasn't gone our way, and everyone knows that, but that doesn't take away the fact that we are a f**cking good team," Pant said in the post-match presentation.
Rishabh Pant reflects on his team's batting performance
Pant reflected that his team was pegged back in the middle and the last overs in the clash against the RR. LSG were cruising at 105/0 after eight overs, but made 115 from the next 12 overs after a few economical overs in the middle and a brilliant five-run 20th over from Jofra Archer. Pant felt his team could have got more to the total. "I think there are a few ways to look at it. In the middle overs and then in the last over, the way Archer bowled, I think it was really good. But we could have actually scored five or ten runs more on this kind of wicket when you get that kind of start, and we just couldn’t capitalise in the last over," he said.
Pant speaks on Shami's absence
The LSG skipper had no answers for Mohammed Shami's absence while speaking at the toss. But while speaking in the post-match presentation, he admitted that he missed his experience. "Experience is something you’re always going to miss, regardless of whether things go good or bad, because experience can’t be earned overnight. It takes years for people to gain that experience, and definitely in pressure situations, that is one thing which keeps you ahead for sure," he said.
RR overcame a slightly slower start as Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was on 25 from 16 balls; however, the 15-year-old prodigy slammed 68 from the next 22 balls as the Royals stormed home with seven wickets in hand and five balls to spare. Sooryavanshi's presence delayed Shahbaz Ahmed's arrival, who was brought in the last over when RR needed two runs. "Definitely, the left-handers. They had been batting for a period of time. And exposing a left-arm spinner, I didn't want that, because [Digvesh] Rathi (4-0-38-0) was in the side. So why take a chance on Shabby when Rathi is there, for sure?"
LSG stay at the bottom of the points table after their ninth loss of the season. While they are tied on points with the ninth-placed MI, their inferior NRR keeps them at the 10th spot as they look to avoid the wooden spoon.
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