Lucknow Super Giants’ Nicholas Pooran (PTI Photo/Kamal Kishore)
NEW DELHI: Batter Nicholas Pooran’s Super Over struggles have come under sharp focus after Lucknow Super Giants’ defeat to Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2026. Pooran’s record in tie-breakers makes for grim reading: 0 (5), 0 (1), 0 (1), 1 (2), 0 (1), just one run in 10 balls with three dismissals, raising questions over LSG’s decision to send him in during a high-pressure moment.In Lucknow, where LSG, chasing 156, were pushed into a Super Over after a last-ball six from Mohammed Shami.
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Opting to bat first, LSG sent Pooran alongside Aiden Markram, but the move backfired instantly. Sunil Narine dismissed Pooran on the first ball and removed Markram soon after, restricting LSG to just one run. KKR chased down the target of two in a single delivery, with Rinku Singh sealing victory.Despite Pooran’s numbers, captain Rishabh Pant defended the call, stressing team backing over individual form.“We discussed as a group, we had a discussion, and the name that came up was Nicholas Pooran. He might not go through the best form of his life, but at the same time, you will trust your player in a hard situation like this,” Pant said.Pant also called for collective responsibility after the loss.“I think we definitely need a break. I think we’re gonna refresh. There is always pressure, and it’s gonna be a pressure game always, but at the same time, we have to look for answers inside, not outside. And just keep it simple. We need to take accountability – every guy. Like, it can’t be about one or two guys. It has to be about the whole unit, and a lot of people will take accountability for that for sure,” he said.With LSG now at the bottom of the table, the decision to back Pooran, despite his record, is likely to remain a talking point.
