IPL 2023: Pooran, Krunal keep Lucknow Super Giants in playoff hunt

Nicholas Pooran pulled off what looked like a difficult chase on a tacky track as Lucknow Super Giants was back in playoff hunt with a seven-wicket victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad in an Indian Premier League match in Hyderabad on Saturday.

A target of 183 was certainly not an easy proposition on a track that got slower as the match progressed.

However, Pooran (44 not out off 13 balls), with assistance from Prerak Mankad (64 not out, 45 balls) and Marcus Stoinis (40 off 25 balls), helped LSG get past the target with four balls to spare.

LSG now has 13 points from 12 games and is in fourth spot behind Gujarat Titans (16 points), CSK (15 points) and Mumbai Indians (14 points).

However, it will have to win its next two games to have an assured berth in the last four stage.

As far as SRH is concerned, another tournament of non-performance is coming to an end with a below-par show.

Till the 15th over, SRH controlled the proceedings as LSG crawled to 114 for 2, needing 68 more from six overs.

However, Aiden Markram's decision to give an extra over to part-time left-arm spinner Abhishek Sharma, who was walloped for five sixes in the 16th over, proved costly.

Stoinis thumped him for two maximums before being holed out at deep extra cover boundary. But Pooran came in and hit two 100m-plus sixes and one straight to completely change the equation.

Credit should be given to Saurashtra's Mankad, who struggled to get going during the middle overs. But a pep-talk from mentor Gautam Gambhir during strategic time-out saw a sea-change in his approach as he showed more intent, hitting a straight six off T Natarajan.

Earlier, Krunal Pandya produced a couple of back-to-back high quality deliveries before Heinrich Klaasen and Abdul Samad took Sunrisers Hyderabad to a competitive 182 for 6 after opting to bat first.

Not known as a big turner of the ball, LSG skipper Krunal (2/24 in 4 overs) bowled two identical classical left-arm orthodox deliveries, which had drift as well as enough turn to hoodwink Sunrisers skipper Aiden Markram (28 off 20 balls) and Glenn Phillips (0).

Once Krunal's wickets reduced SRH to 115 for 5, Klaasen took it upon himself and got support from Abdul Samad (37 not out off 25 balls) as the duo added 58 in 6.4 overs to take the score past 175-run mark.

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