Nicholas Pooran Struggles in IPL as Lucknow Super Giants Face Setbacks
Nicholas Pooran's IPL Challenges
Hyderabad (Telangana) [India] - April 5: Nicholas Pooran, the former West Indies cricketer and current batter for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), appears to be grappling with the aftermath of his international retirement, as he continues to struggle in T20 cricket. His recent performance in the Indian Premier League (IPL) has been disappointing, further highlighting his decline in form.
In the opening match against Delhi Capitals, Pooran managed to score only eight runs before falling victim to a slower delivery from Lungi Ngidi. His subsequent outing saw him run out for just one run off four balls, marking a troubling start to the season.
This year has proven to be particularly challenging for Pooran, as he is experiencing his lowest average in T20 cricket during a calendar year. Across nine innings, he has accumulated just 121 runs, averaging 13.44 with a strike rate of 117.47, and his highest score being 33.
Since stepping away from international cricket last year, Pooran, affectionately known as 'Nicky P', has not displayed the same explosive prowess he was once known for. In 46 innings post-retirement, he has scored 1,214 runs, maintaining a respectable average of 32.81, along with one century and seven fifties. However, his strike rate of 130.11 has diminished the intimidation factor he once held, especially compared to his career strike rate of 147.82 in T20s.
His last notable fifty came in December against Gulf Giants while playing for MI Emirates in the International T20 League (ILT20) held in the UAE.
In the match against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), LSG chose to bowl first and managed to restrict SRH to a mere 26/4. However, a significant partnership of 116 runs between Heinrich Klaasen (62 runs off 41 balls, including five fours and two sixes) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (56 runs off 33 balls, with three fours and five sixes) propelled SRH to a total of 156/9 in their 20 overs.
Bowling highlights for LSG included Shami (2/9), Prince Yadav (2/34), and Avesh Khan (2/36), while Manimaran Siddharth (1/29) delivered an economical performance.
During the chase, LSG lost Mitch Marsh early on, but a crucial 40-run partnership between Aiden Markram (45 runs off 27 balls, with six fours and two sixes) and Rishabh Pant helped stabilize the innings. Pant remained until the end, alongside Mukul Choudhary (2*), leading LSG to victory with five wickets and a ball to spare.
For SRH, Harsh Dubey (2/18) was the standout bowler, while Shami earned the 'Player of the Match' accolade for his impressive spell during the powerplay.