Rishabh Pant has announced his arrival with a bang, not with the bat as yet but with the wicktetkeeping gloves on. In the ongoing IPL 2026 clash between Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), the LSG skipper pulled off what is already being hailed as a contender for the Catch of the Tournament. His brilliant effort ensured to send SRH’s big-money star Liam Livingstone packing.

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The moment of magic occurred in the 8th over of the SRH innings. With the hosts already reeling under the pressure of Mohammed Shami’s opening burst, Livingstone tried to break the shackles by attempting a paddle scoop off leg-spinner Digvesh Rathi.

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Watch: The ‘Inhuman’ adjustment

The ball gripped the surface and came on slower than expected, taking the toe-end of Livingstone’s bat and ballooning up. What followed was a masterclass in wicketkeeping intuition:

The Initial Move: Pant, anticipating the scoop, had already taken a significant step toward his left (the leg side).

The Mid-Air Recovery: Seeing the ball pop up toward the off-side, Pant performed a gravity-defying directional shift.

The Finish: Despite being completely off-balance, he lunged to his right and plucked the ball out of thin air with a full-stretch, one-handed dive.

LSG’s official social media handle immediately shared the clip with the caption: “Proper Spidey instincts,” and the video has since amassed thousands of views across social media platforms.

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13 crore buy Livingstone’s struggle ends

The spectacular catch ended a laboured innings from Liam Livingstone, who departed for a scratchy 14 off 20 balls. His dismissal left SRH in a massive hole at 28/4, marking one of their lowest 10-over scores in IPL history.

Tactical masterclass by Pant

Beyond his acrobatics, Pant has been tactically flawless at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium today. By electing to bowl first in the afternoon heat and utilising Mohammed Shami and Digvesh Rathi effectively, he has strangled the SRH top order.