Nicholas Pooran of Lucknow Super Giants (PTI Photo/Kamal Kishore)
New Delhi: Batter Nicholas Pooran’s Super Over struggles have come into sharp focus after Lucknow Super Giants’ defeat to Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2026. Pooran’s tie-breaking record makes for bleak reading: 0(5), 0(1), 0(1), 1(2), 0(1), just one run in 10 balls with three dismissals, raising questions about LSG’s decision to send him on during a high-pressure moment.In Lucknow, where LSG, chasing 156, were pushed to the Super Over after the last six ball of Mohammed Shami.
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LSG opted to bat first, sending on Pooran alongside Aiden Markram, but the move immediately backfired. Sunil Narain dismissed Pooran off the first ball and dismissed Markram soon after, restricting LSG to just one run. KKR chased down the target two in one delivery, with Rinku Singh the winner.Despite Pooran’s numbers, captain Rishabh Pant defended the call, stressing on supporting the team at the individual level.“We discussed as a group, we had a discussion, and the name that came up was Nicholas Pooran. He may not be having the best form of his life, but at the same time, you will trust your player in a difficult situation like this,” Pant said.Pant also called for collective responsibility after the loss.“I think we definitely need a break. I think we’ll rebound. There’s always pressure, it’s always going to be a pressure game, but at the same time, we have to look for answers inside, not outside. And keep it simple. We need to take responsibility – every single person. Like, it can’t be about one or two people. It has to be about the whole unit, and a lot of people will definitely take responsibility for that.”With LSG now at the bottom of the table, the decision to back Borane, despite his record, is likely to remain a moot point.