Rishabh Pant defended Lucknow Super Giants after their defeat to Rajasthan Royals, with his emotional F-word remark on live TV going viral during IPL 2026.
Rajasthan Royals' Dhruv Jurel greets Lucknow Super Giants' captain Rishabh Pant after Rajasthan Royals won the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 match against Lucknow Super Giants at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on Tuesday, May 19, 2026. (Photo: IANS/Biplab Banerjee)
Rishabh Pant let his frustration spill over on live television after Lucknow Super Giants suffered a seven-wicket defeat to Rajasthan Royals on Tuesday, with the skipper using the F-word while backing his team despite another disappointing result.
In a candid moment during the post-match presentation at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Pant appeared to use the F-word on live television while insisting that LSG still remain “a f***ing good team” despite another disappointing outing in IPL 2026.
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Rishabh Pant should have avoided this F word at post match pic.twitter.com/6RfGhfgIw4 https://t.co/1HVqt2FuMz
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— Sunil The Cricketer (@1sInto2s) May 19, 2026
The defeat officially ended Lucknow’s playoff hopes after the Rajasthan Royals chased down a daunting 221-run target with five balls to spare. Donovan Ferreira’s late fireworks powered RR to 225/3 in 19.1 overs, capping off yet another high-scoring encounter on a batting-friendly Jaipur surface.
While results have not gone in LSG’s favour this season, Pant maintained that the dressing room’s belief in the squad remains intact.
“We are proud as a team regardless of what our situation is right now. 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***ing good team,” Pant said after the match.
LSG had posted an imposing 220/5 after a strong batting effort, but Pant admitted his side fell slightly short of what was required on a pitch where bowlers had little room for error.
“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 explained.
Pant also reflected on the growing challenge of defending totals in the tournament, especially on flatter surfaces where execution becomes crucial under pressure.
“It’s definitely a difficult one for sure because you always want to back your bowlers, but sometimes it’s hard. On a wicket like this, there is less margin for the bowlers. Sometimes you have to keep a simple plan, keep focusing on one ball at a time, and just try to execute the plan,” he said.
The LSG skipper further stressed the importance of experience in crunch moments, suggesting that younger sides often struggle to cope when matches enter high-pressure territory.
“Experience is something you’re always going to miss because it 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,” Pant added.
Pant also defended the tactical decision to delay the introduction of Shahbaz Ahmed into the attack, citing Rajasthan’s left-handed batters and the presence of leg spinner Digvesh Rathi as key factors behind the move.
Despite the loss and the frustration surrounding another missed opportunity, Pant’s emotionally charged assessment reflected a captain still backing his squad, even as LSG’s IPL 2026 campaign comes to a disappointing end.
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