Pooran’s blitz takes Lucknow to 214/6 against Mumbai

MUMBAI: Nicholas Pooran’s whirlwind 75 compensated for skipper KL Rahul’s sedate 55, providing a much-needed impetus to Lucknow Super Giants’s impressive total of 214 for 6 against Mumbai Indians in an IPL encounter here on Friday.

Struggling for momentum on what appeared to be a two-paced wicket at the start, LSG could only manage 69 for 3 at the halfway stage but Pooran’s stunning knock made up for another shoddy Powerplay effort by Rahul, who is unable to change his game in the Powerplay.

On its part, Mumbai’s bowling woes persisted with skipper Hardik Pandya using as many as eight different bowling options but none, barring seasoned Piyush Chawla (3/29) and novice Nuwan Thushara (3/28) could impose themselves.

With Trinidad & Tobago PM Dr Keith Rowley in attendance here at the Wankhede Stadium, Pooran took it upon himself to entertain his country’s premier by smashing the MI bowlers to all parts of the ground.

His lofted hits to clear the covers as well as powerful pulls on the leg side were equally compelling until Pooran found Suryakumar Yadav grabbing the ball out of thin air at long on in the 17th over.

By then, the free-flowing West Indian had already notched up his highest score of the season, hammering eight sixes and five fours for 75 off a mere 29 balls. Pooran’s dismissal followed Rahul’s exit after their 44-ball stand for 109 runs for the fourth wicket, which gave LSG the platform to push for a total exceeding 200.

Rahul forged two crucial partnerships, including 48 runs for second wicket with Marcus Stoinis, and scored 55 off 41 balls with three fours and as many sixes. Ayush Badoni also chipped in with a 10-ball 22, collecting 19 runs off Romario Shepherd in the last over.

LSG was off to a rocky start with Devdutt Padikkal dismissed for a first-ball duck. Thushara (3/28) swung the ball back into the left-hander who was pinned in front of the wickets and burned a review.

But there was no such mistake committed by Stoinis, trapped leg-before at the end of the powerplay by Chawla after the Australian stroked his way to 28 off 22 balls with five fours.

Stoinis also used the DRS to perfection when the on-field umpire obliged a passionate appeal for leg-before by Arjun Tendulkar, with the replays confirming that the ball would have passed over the stumps. Tendulkar, however, was clobbered mercilessly by Pooran and after being hit for back-to-back sixes, the young left-arm seamer was forced to leave the field as he suddenly started suffering from cramps.

BRIEF SCORES: LSG 214/6 in 20 overs (N Pooran 75, KL Rahul 55, N Thushara 3/28, P Chawla 3/29) vs MI