Pooran, KL power LSG to 214-6 against MI

Nicholas Pooran in full flow against MI at Wankhede yesterday. Pic/Satej Shinde

Without their best bowler Jasprit Bumrah, who was rested for this inconsequential match, Mumbai Indians struggled to halt Lucknow Super Giants's march, especially their left-hander Nicolas Pooran (75, 29b, 5x4, 8x6).

Though the MI bowlers did well to contain LSG to 69-3 in the first 10 overs, it was an entirely different story in the second half with Pooran dealing in sixes. LSG finished at 214-6 with Pooran not sparing the full tosses and short balls that were served aplenty by the inexperienced MI medium pacers.

At the time of going to press, MI were 33-0 in 3.5 overs before play was stopped due to rain.

145 runs off last 10 overs

Earlier, LSG smashed 145 runs in the second set of 10 overs, including 101 runs in six overs (between 11 and 16). Barring speedster Nuwan Thushara (3-28) and leg-spinner Piyush Chawla (3-29) who went for a combined 57 runs in eight overs, the rest of the MI bowlers conceded 157 runs in 12 overs.

As has often been the case this season, LSG skipper KL Rahul was left with the task of holding the innings tight as wickets fell around him. Rahul wore a dejected look as his Karnataka statemate

Devdutt Padikkal continued his nightmarish IPL season, falling for a first-ball duck to Thushara in the third ball of the match.

A partnership of 48 ensued between Rahul and Marcus Stoinis (28), the Australian being the dominant partner, striking three consecutive fours off the first over of medium-pacer Anshul Kamboj. Even as Rahul played the waiting game, he struck two consecutive sixes in Chawla's first over, the sixth of the innings, which also saw the dismissal of Stoinis, out leg-before as he missed a sweep.

Deepak Hooda came and went in a hurry, playing a loose shot against Chawla. It was left for Rahul and Pooran to stabilise the LSG innings. The two have been LSG's batting mainstays this season. Rahul was happy to play second fiddle as Pooran hammered away.

19-ball 50 for Pooran

Pooran reached his fifty in only 19 deliveries with a six off an Arjun Tendulkar full toss while Rahul got his half-century in 37 balls. When Pooran gets going, he can be very destructive and this was in full sight on Friday night.

Pooran's acceleration and Rahul's patience while dismissing the loose deliveries gave LSG a century stand for the fourth wicket, which was terminated at 109 in only 44 balls with Pooran caught at long-on off Thushara.

In a dramatic turn of events, MI took a team hat-trick, Pooran and Arshad Khan falling to Thushara in the last two deliveries of the 17th over and KL Rahul (55) to Chawla in the first ball of the 18th over.

The late-overs flourish was provided by Ayush Badoni and Krunal Pandya as their 36-run unbroken stand for the seventh wicket in 17 balls took LSG to a healthy total.