Lucknow Super Giants’ fifth consecutive defeat in IPL 2026, in a Super Over thriller against the Kolkata Knight Riders on Sunday, culminated in another ordinary batting display by Rishabh Pant’s side. Amidst the failures of a star-studded top order, Nicholas Pooran bore the brunt of sharp criticism for his twin failures in the regulation chase and the Super Over.
Pooran, who walked in at No. 4 in a 156-run chase, fell for nine off 12 deliveries against Varun Chakaravarthy. The West Indian left-hander is enduring one of his poorest IPL seasons, just a year after slamming more than 500 runs in an edition for the first time in his career. Pooran has only aggregated 82 runs in eight innings, his 81.18 strike rate his lowest across seven years in the IPL.
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Surprisingly, the LSG management opted to send Pooran out to open the batting in the Super Over alongside Aiden Markram. Having been troubled in the past by Sunil Narine in a famous Super Over thriller in the Caribbean Premier League, where he failed to score any runs in six deliveries and fell on the final delivery, Pooran was sent back in a similar fashion by the KKR veteran. Narine castled Pooran first ball of the Super Over, before proceeding to dismiss Markram off the third delivery before KKR chased down the target in just one ball.
‘Criminal’
South Africa pace legend Dale Steyn slammed the LSG management for sending out Pooran in the Super Over, who has previously fallen for ducks twice in IPL Super Overs.
“Three Super Overs for Nicholas Pooran in the IPL, three ducks. So, yes, absolutely. Would you send someone else? Of course. You’ve got players like Mitch Marsh, Rishabh Pant, and Mukul Choudhary. Given Pooran’s recent form, there were other options,” Steyn told on JioHotstar.
“He hasn’t scored more than 30 or 40 runs this season, I don’t know the exact numbers, but to send him in first ball in a Super Over to get you runs is almost a criminal decision,” Steyn added.
With only two wins in eight matches and a streak of five consecutive defeats, Steyn slammed the decision-making by a team desperate to make amends.
“It could have gone either way, but at this stage of the season, when you’re desperate to win, you don’t send in a batter who hasn’t delivered all season. You go with players who’ve been striking the ball well, guys you trust to clear the ropes, or at least back to do the job. I don’t even think Nicholas Pooran believes he can do it right now; he’s in such a bad run of form,” Steyn said.
“It’s unfortunate because he’s such a wonderful player. But when you’re trying to revive your season, you can’t afford blunders like that, not at this level,” he added.
LSG have been found wanting at their home, the Ekana Stadium, where their run of losses have now stretched to eight consecutive losses since last season.
