Lucknow Super Giants captain Rishabh Pant, right, with Mohammed Shami (PTI Photo) Mohammed Shami and Lucknow Super Giants captain Rishabh Pant shared a heartwarming moment during a clean practice ahead of their IPL 2026 clash against Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, a clip that has since gone viral on social media.LSG entered the competition with renewed confidence after registering their first win of the season against Sunrisers Hyderabad and bounced back significantly from their opening defeat to Delhi Capitals. Both Shami and Pant played a key role in this win and showed their impact with both ball and bat.During practice, Pant was seen hitting the ball cleanly and sending several shots into the stands. However, when Shami missed one delivery, he cheekily remarked, “Bahar nikal kar le sakta” (you could have stepped out and hit it).Pant replied in his usual confident style, saying, “Lappa to main har ball par ghuma dunga” (I can take a good swing at every ball).Shami’s support wins heartsA good moment followed that caught the attention of the fans. In a supportive tone, Shami told Pant, “Tu hamara sher hai, tu bhi kuch bhi do… hum tujhe neche nahi ginne denge, chahe tu bhi kuch bhi do.”(You’re our lion, do whatever you want… we won’t let you down no matter what.)This exchange reflected the strong camaraderie in the LSG camp, highlighting the trust and encouragement shared between the senior players and the captain.
Match Preview – KKR vs LSG
Struggling for form and ideas, Kolkata Knight Riders can make big changes as they chase their first win of IPL 2026 against the confident Lucknow Super Giants at the Eden Gardens. Much attention will be on Mohammed Shami, who is coming off a brilliant spell and could exploit KKR’s fragile top-order in useful terms.KKR’s batting has been inconsistent, with their opening pair faltering while their bowling unit has also lacked impact. In contrast, LSG’s strength lies in their balanced attack, including Shami and a strong supporting cast that has dominated power play this season.LSG also have momentum thanks to Rishabh Pant’s recent unbeaten 68 and a solid top order with Mitchell Marsh and Aiden Markram. Overall, this is a clash between a struggling KKR side and a confident, in-form LSG unit.
