IPL 2026: Lungi Ngidi suffers nasty head injury

Delhi Capitals fast bowler Lungi Ngidi suffered a frightening head injury while attempting to take a catch during the ongoing IPL 2026 clash against Punjab Kings at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, and was stretchered off the field in an ambulance.

The incident occurred in the third over when left-handed opener Priyansh Arya tried to loft Axar Patel over mid-off. Ngidi backtracked for taking the catch, but misjudged the trajectory, and fell heavily on his backside. In the process, Ngidi hit the back of his head onto the ground.

But Ngidi stayed down in visible pain for a longer time, as everyone on the field wore tense expressions. Medical staff rushed in, with the DC physio and team doctor attending to Ngidi on the ground. A stretcher was brought out as the crowd fell silent, sensing the seriousness of the situation.

Ngidi’s teammates David Miller and Tristan Stubbs looked visibly shaken, while DC coach Hemang Badani gestured for a neck brace to be applied to him. To add more to the scary and disturbing scenes, an ambulance was wheeled onto the ground as doctors and physios along with players and coaches surrounded the pacer.

Though Ngidi was able to communicate with the medical staff via hand gestures, he wasn’t able to move his neck and head regions. A neck brace was slid under his head before he was strapped onto the stretcher. Ricky Ponting, head coach of Punjab Kings, also walked to the middle to check on Ngidi.

The South African pacer was eventually stretchered into the ambulance and taken off the field. A source told IANS that Ngidi has been taken to Max Hospital in Karol Bagh, for further assessment and immediate treatment.

Dushmantha Chameera, the Sri Lankan pacer, has now been named as a concussion substitute for Ngidi for the remainder of the clash, which resumed nearly 15 minutes later. The hope remains that Ngidi recovers totally from what appeared to be a very nasty blow to his head.