KOLKATA: Nicholas Pooran powered the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) to a competitive total after the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) soared high with a sensational bowling attack in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 at Eden Gardens on Sunday.
Spearheaded by Mitchell Starc, the KKR bowlers exercised control throughout the first inning. After the toss, LSG were put to bat and once again continued the trend of losing a couple of wickets in the powerplay as Quinton de Kock and Deepak Hooda departed without a major impact.
The South African batter started his day on a positive note, picking up two fours in the opening over of the game. Mitchell Starc spilled 10 runs in the opening over, following an effortless straight drive, followed by another four from de Kock’s bat.
In the next over, Vaibhav Arora forced out a thick edge from de Kock to end his stay for a score of 10(8). Deepak Hooda who has featured as an impact substitute for LSG, was included in the playing XI in place of Devdutt Padikkal. His lean run with the bat continued after Ramandeep Singh took a sharp catch, handing Starc his first wicket of the game.
K L Rahul and Ayush Badoni forged a 39-run stand to repair the damage inflicted in the powerplay. KKR’s dynamic all-rounder, Andre Russell, sent Rahul (39) back, who was looking to shift gears. Varun Chakaravarthy reaped rewards for Marcus Stoinis’s mistimed shot. Sunil Narine came in to swoop Badnoi’s wicket (29).
Nicholas Pooran arrived on the crease and waged a lone war as he went all guns blazing with luck on his side. He dealt in sixes, with Krunal Pandya playing the anchor role in the partnership. Fireworks were expected from Pooran’s bat, while Shreyas Iyer entrusted his faith in Starc to bowl the final over.
On the first ball, Starc repaid Iyer’s faith by dismissing Pooran for 45. LSG gambled for the final five balls as Arshad Khan was brought in as an impact substitute. After conceding a boundary following an edge, Starc bowled back-to-back dot balls to put pressure on LSG. Arshad managed to rotate the strike, leaving the mantle on Pandya to end the innings on a high note.
Pandya mistimed his shot, leaving the impact sub to face the final ball. Starc produced his signature toe-breaking yorker to leave Arshad baffled in his crease, as the ball crashed into the stumps.
Brief score: Lucknow Super Giants 161/7 (Nicholas Pooran 45, KL Rahul 39; Mitchell Starc 3-28) vs Kolkata Knight Riders. (ANI)
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