Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) wicketkeeper-batter Nicholas Pooran continued his rich run of form in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023, attaining the second-highest strike rate in an IPL inning lasting a minimum of 10 balls on Saturday. The West Indies star did so during his side's IPL 2023 match against Sunrisers Hyderabad at Hyderabad.
Needing 68 in the final five overs, Pooran arrived in the 16th over and announced his arrival by smashing three sixes in a row. By the end of the 16th over, Stoinis-Pooran reduced the deficit to 38 runs in the final four overs. Pooran hit the winning runs and played an unbeaten knock of 44 in just 13 balls, consisting of three fours and a six. His runs came at a strike rate of 338.46.
Nicholas Pooran, The hero of Lucknow.pic.twitter.com/5jBo9cwIVU
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) May 13, 2023
In 12 matches, Pooran has scored 292 runs at an average of 29.20 and a strike rate of 173.80. He has a half-century, with the best score of 62. The highest strike rate during an IPL inning lasting a minimum of 10 balls is by Mumbai Indians all-rounder Kieron Pollard, who smashed an unbeaten 45* in 13 balls against Delhi Capitals (formerly Delhi Daredevils) in 2010.
Opting to bat first, SRH put on a total of 182/6 in their 20 overs. Amolpreet Singh (36 in 27 balls) provided a solid start at the top. In the middle order, useful knocks came from Heinrich Klaasen (47 in 29 balls), Abdul Samad (37* in 25 balls) and skipper Aiden Markram (28 in 20 balls). Glenn Phillips, Mayank Markande and Abhishek Sharma took a wicket each for SRH.
Krunal Pandya (2/24) was the pick of the bowlers for SRH. Yudhvir Singh, Avesh Khan, Yash Thakur, Amit Mishra took a wicket each. Chasing 183, knocks from Prerak Mankad (64* in 45 balls, seven fours and two sixes). Marcus Stoinis (40 in 25 balls) and Nicholas Pooran (44* in 13 balls) helped the side clinch a seven-wicket win. With this win, LSG has 13 points, with six wins and five losses in their 12 games. One of their games ended with no result. SRH is at the ninth position with four wins and seven losses in 11 matches.