Lucknow Super Giants held their nerve on May 7, 2026, defending 20 runs in the final over against Royal Challengers Bengaluru and staying in the hunt for the playoffs. Rishabh Pant had to choose between Shahbaz Ahmed and Digvesh Rathi for the last over, and he went with Rathi after a late huddle with both bowlers and a quick check with Mitchell Marsh.
The call came with Romario Shepherd and Krunal Pandya at the crease, and the equation sharpened into one of those final-over decisions that can define a match. Pant said it was a tough call to go with Rathi over Shahbaz, but added that the team was under pressure and had to trust the bowler who looked the better matchup against Shepherd.
That matchup mattered because the Lucknow surface had offered enough help for spin through the evening, giving Pant more than one option and making the choice less about raw talent than about feel. Shahbaz brought experience and control. Rathi brought unpredictability, deception and mystery. Pant, who made his way in for a conversation with both men before the over began, eventually settled on the bowler he believed could handle the moment.
Rathi delivered. He conceded just 10 runs in the final over, enough to keep Lucknow in front and close out a win that carried immediate weight in the standings and the mood around the side. In a game where one mistake could have flipped the result, the decision to back a less obvious choice paid off.
The friction in the moment was obvious even before the first ball was bowled. Pant had to weigh the safer option against the one he felt fit the matchup, then trust it in front of a crowd that knew how much was riding on every delivery. He chose the bowler he believed could get the job done, and Rathi did exactly that.
For Lucknow, the result keeps the season alive for at least another step. For Pant, it leaves behind a decision that will be remembered not just for the name on the team sheet, but for the way it held under pressure when the match was there to be lost.
