Nicholas Pooran's carnage helps LSG sign off IPL 2024 with dominant win over rusty MI despite Rohit Sharma-Naman Dhir's heroics

Lucknow Super Giants rode on Nicholas Pooran's lightning knock to sign off IPL 2024 with a comprehensive 18-run win over Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede stadium on May 17. Batting first, LSG posted a colossal target of 215 runs riding on the back of Nicholas Pooran's fiery 75 off 29 and KL Rahul's 41-ball 55. In reply, MI fells short of 18 runs despite Rohit Sharma's 38-ball 68 and Naman Dhir's late blitz of 28-ball 62. With this MI's nightmarish campaign came to an end as they remained at the bottom of the points table with just four wins in 14 matches. Meanwhile, LSG officially got eliminated from playoff race and ended the season on a winning note and sixth on the points table. 

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Mumbai Indians' Chase Fizzles After Promising Start

Mumbai Indians (MI) looked like they were in control of the chase early on, thanks to a blazing knock from Rohit Sharma. He started strong and reached his fifty off just 28 balls, partnering with Dewald Brevis who contributed 23 runs.

However, rain intervened, and upon resumption, the chase fell apart. Brevis was the first to depart, followed by a surprising duck from Suryakumar Yadav. Despite being in good touch, Rohit himself fell for 68 runs off 38 balls, leaving MI's chase in tatters. Captain Hardik Pandya's struggles continued with a 16-run knock. With 96 runs needed in the final 36 balls, the target seemed insurmountable.

Naman Dhir with a quickfire 50 off just 25 balls tried to keep MI's hopes alive, but it wasn't enough. LSG ultimately secured their seventh win of the season.

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Rohit's Innings a Glimmer of Hope for India?

This match marked a significant improvement for Rohit Sharma, who had been struggling with form since the T20 World Cup selection. Notably, his struggles against Varun Chakaravarthy in the previous match against KKR were a cause for concern. However, his knock on Friday offered a sigh of relief for Indian cricket fans. It was reminiscent of his explosive performances during the ODI World Cup last year, where he provided India with strong starts. The intent was clear from the beginning, and he smashed 10 boundaries and 3 sixes.

If this turns out to be his last game for MI, he certainly made a memorable exit, earning a standing ovation from the crowd.  Fans will now eagerly await his return, as he leads India in their upcoming match against Ireland on June 5.

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Nicholas Pooran, KL Rahul's half-centuries power LSG to huge total

Earlier, LSG put up a strong total of 214 runs for the loss of 6 wickets against MI. While skipper KL Rahul's knock was steady at 55 runs, it was Nicholas Pooran's explosive innings that truly propelled the LSG score.

LSG's start was shaky on a seemingly tricky pitch, managing only 69 runs in the first half of their innings. Rahul's struggles in the powerplay continued, but Pooran's rapid 75 runs (including 8 sixes and 5 fours in just 29 balls) completely shifted the momentum. This came after Rahul and Pooran stitched together a crucial 109-run partnership that laid the foundation for a bigger total.

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Mumbai's bowling attack, despite using eight different options, couldn't contain the LSG batsmen. Only veteran spinner Piyush Chawla (3 wickets for 29 runs) and young pacer Naman Dhir (2 wickets for 13 runs) managed to make an impact.

Pooran's dismissal was followed shortly by Rahul's, but their partnership had already set the stage for a strong finish. Ayush Badoni's quickfire 22 runs off 10 balls, including 19 runs plundered from Romario Shepherd in the last over, further bolstered the LSG total.

Earlier, LSG's innings began poorly with Devdutt Padikkal dismissed for a golden duck. Marcus Stoinis provided some stability with a 28-run knock but was eventually trapped leg-before by Piyush Chawla. Interestingly, Stoinis successfully used the DRS (Decision Review System) to overturn a dubious leg-before call by young Arjun Tendulkar. However, Tendulkar bore the brunt of Pooran's onslaught, being hit for consecutive sixes before cramps forced him to leave the field.

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