LUCKNOW, India,CMC – Former West Indies captain Nicholas Pooran perished for a first-ball ‘duck’ as Lucknow Super Giants missed out on the opportunity to take sole possession of the lead in the Indian Premier League, with a disappointing two-wicket defeat to Punjab Kings here yesterday.
Sent in at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Super Giants posted an insufficient 159 for eight from their 20 overs, with captain KL Rahul top-scoring with 74 from 56 deliveries and West Indies all-rounder Kyle Mayers getting 29.
The left-handed Pooran, who has been in good nick with a 141 runs from four previous innings, miscued a pull at South Africa speedster Kagiso Rabada (2-34) and was taken at deep mid-wicket in the 15th over.
In reply, Zimbabwe all-rounder Sikandar Raza top-scored 57 from 41 deliveries while Matthew Short (34) and Shahrukh Khan (23 not out) chipped in with weighty knocks to help Kings over the line with three balls to spare.
They required seven runs from the final over and Shahrukh Khan held his nerve to deliver, handing Kings their third win of the campaign and moving them into a four-way tie at the top on six points but fourth on net run rate.
Rahul provided his side with the ideal start, thumping eight fours and a six in a 56-ball knock, in a 53-run, opening stand with the left-handed Mayers, who struck a four and three sixes off 23 balls before holing out to deep square off left-arm spinner Harpreet Brar in the eighth over.
Rahul put on a further 48 for the third wicket with Krunal Pandya (18) and 31 for the fifth with Marcus Stoinis (15) before finally departing in the penultimate over.
When seamer Yudhvir Singh (2-19) knocked over both openers to leave Kings’ run chase on 17 for two in the third over, the hosts appeared in control.
However, Sikandar lashed four fours and three sixes, first in a 30-run fourth wicket stand with Harpreet Singh (22) and then in a 37-run fifth wicket stand with Sam Curran (6) to rescue the chase, before Shahrukh Khan’s 10-ball cameo provided the finishing touches.
