Lungi Ngidi injury update: Delhi Capitals pacer ‘stable & due to be discharged shortly’ after horrific head injury
Lungi Ngidi suffered a serious head injury after falling awkwardly on the ground while attempting a catch against Punjab Kings at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
Delhi Capitals pacer Lungi Ngidi is “stable” and will be “discharged shortly from the hospital” after the South African suffered a horrific head injury at the Arun Jaitley Stadium against Punjab Kings on Saturday. Play was stopping for 14 minutes after Ngidi injured himself at 5:53 PM IST and was immediately rushed to the Max Hospital, Pusa Road in New Delhi for medical examination.
“Lungi Ngidi of Delhi Capitals hit his head on the ground while attempting to take a catch during his team's match against Punjab Kings. He was shifted to the hospital in an ambulance as he complained of a headache and neck pain,” IPL said on X (formerly Twitter).
"Ngidi is stable and is due to be discharged shortly from the hospital. Vipraj Nigam is on the field as a concussion substitute," it added.
What happened to Lungi Ngidi?
The incident took place on the third ball of the third over bowled by Axar Patel. Ngidi was trying to pouch a mishit from Punjab kings opener Priyansh Arya, but he grossly misjudged the travel path of the ball, which went past his outstretched right hand while he was airborne.
As a result, the Proteas player landed on his back and the back side of his head collided with the Arun Jaitley Stadium surface, leaving him in considerable pain. He immediately covered his head, trying to recover from the fall, even as the on-field medical staff rushed to Ngidi with a stretcher.
Ngidi could be seen responding to the support staff as other Proteas players Tristan Stubbs and David Miller, along with Punjab Kings head coach Ricky Ponting and Delhi Capitals head coach Hemang Badani, came to check on him. But he had to be stretchered into the ambulance for hospital.
Punjab Kings pull off highest successful chase
Punjab Kings rewrote the T20 record books with a breathtaking batting blitz, pulling off the highest-ever successful chase in the format's history by overhauling a daunting 265-run target.
KL Rahul blended grace with power to script a stroke-filled 152 not out, the third-highest individual IPL score, while Nitish Rana (91 not out) batted with authority as the duo powered hosts Delhi Capitals to a mammoth 264/2.
Chasing the target, Punjab's dynamic opening pair of Prabhsimran Singh (76) and Priyansh Arya (73) came out all guns blazing, adding 126 runs in just 41 balls to lay a formidable foundation for the chase and set the tone for their sixth win of the season.
Skipper Shreyas Iyer, who was dropped by Karun Nair twice in the span of three balls, then scored an unbeaten 71 off 36 deliveries to take Punjab Kings over the line with as many as seven balls to spare. Incidentally, the previous highest successful run chase in T20 as well as IPL history also belongs to Punjab Kings, chasing 262 against Kolkata Knight Riders in 2024.
Catch the live updates from IPL 2026 with the complete IPL 2026 Schedule and the IPL 2026 Points Table. Also, know who are currently leading the charts in IPL 2026 Orange Cap and IPL 2026 Purple Cap.
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Koushik lives and breathes sports. After transitioning from his own aspirations of becoming a professional athlete, he successfully channeled that lifelong passion into a prolific career, documenting the action both from the sidelines and the editorial desk. With over eight years of industry experience, Koushik joined LiveMint as a Deputy Chief Content Producer in 2024, following impactful stints at Outlook India, India.com, Sportskeeda, Women’s CricZone, and OrissaPOST. A 2017 Journalism and Mass Communication graduate from Maharaja Manindra Chandra College, Kolkata, Koushik has reported on high-profile events including the FIFA U17 World Cup 2017, Ranji Trophy, FIH Pro League, FIH World League finals, the Indian Premier League, and Lionel Messi’s historic visit to Kolkata in 2025. <br><br> While he possesses a versatile command over all sports, he finds his niche in cricket, specializing in breaking news, long-form interviews, global sporting updates, and high-energy live blogs. Koushik’s professional perspective was further sharpened through the 2020 AIPS Young Reporters Programme, where he gained invaluable insights from renowned international journalists, including Keir Radnedge and Riccardo Romani from the United Kingdom, and Martin Mazur from Argentina. Currently based between Kolkata and Delhi, Koushik remains at the forefront of the breaking developments that shape the public sporting discourse. When he isn't tracking scores or deconstructing plays, he can be found exploring new landscapes on his travels or channeling his creative energy into the kitchen. <br><br> If you have a compelling story to share or know an individual who deserves the spotlight, please reach out via email at <a href="koushik.paul@htdigital.in">koushik.paul@htdigital.in</a>.
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