After winning back-to-back games in the tournament, LSG were given a reality check yesterday in Lucknow as they were beaten fair and square by the 2022 champions, GT. It was a good wake-up call for the franchise after they were on a high, winning their last two games. LSG had their moments in the contest, but lost out on the important moments as GT, after losing their opening two encounters, have won their second consecutive game. There were areas where LSG lacked, and we will try to list out three reasons for their loss to GT in Lucknow.
Losing wickets in clusters post the powerplay broke the LSG momentumÂ
LSG were inserted into bat by GT in Lucknow, and their openers Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh added 14 for the first wicket before the Australian captain fell for 11 in the score of 14 runs. Thereafter, Rishabh Pant, the captain and keeper batter, came out to bat, and he and Markram started to forge a partnership inside the powerplay. Pant was off the blocks quickly, while Markram also did the bulk of the scoring in the power play.
Pant fell for 18 when the score was 45 in 4 overs. The powerplay score was 60/2 in 6 overs, which was a decent start by them. But soon things slowed down in the middle phase of the innings. LSG players, barring Markram, who scored 30, all got starts but never converted that into something substantial for the team. Markram soon fell after the power play. Ayush Badoni didn’t last long either. Nicholas Pooran and Abdul Samad tried to hang in there, but both struggled for timing on a sporting track.
Pooran fell despite hitting a couple of sixes off Rashid Khan for 19 off 21 balls, while Samad too departed for a struggling score. Mukul Choudhary couldn’t replicate the heroics of the last game and fell as well. Some lusty blows from impact player George Linde and Shami took LSG past 160, but they lost wickets in clusters. The total would prove inadequate in the end. LSG needs to bat and perform better post-powerplay to post challenging scores, as 160 on this surface was never going to be enough.
Inability to break Shubman Gill-Jos Buttler’s stand hurts LSG
GT had to chase a gettable 165 for the win. Captain Shubman Gill had to open the batting with Sai Sudharsan. The opening duo started solidly negotiating the initial 2-3 overs before accelerating, as due to the dominance of Gill, the duo put on 45 for the first wicket to lay the platform before Sudharsan was dismissed at the start of the 6th over. Jos Buttler came at the tail end of the powerplay. With the required rate under control, the duo did not have to take extra risks.
LSG tried with their options, but could not break the solid stand between Gill and Buttler and slowly, they took the game away from the home team. LSG, barring Shami, lacks a little bit of experience, and that was on full view on Saturday afternoon. The bowlers bowled well in patches and could not be consistent enough to threaten the dynamic duo as the Titans got over the line. LSG needs to work on this issue and have better plans to combat the better batters. They lacked a little bit of incisiveness.
In a chase of 165, one solid big partnership gets you through. After the opening partnership, this was worth 84 runs, and the game was as good as over with this stand. Going forward, LSG needs to plan better and get good support for Shami in order to hunt in pairs. At this stage, the bowling looks inexperienced and can leak runs on their bad days. This is where they need to tighten up a bit and do well for their side. Both bowling and batting need cohesion for the team to be consistent.
Nicholas Pooran’s wretched form a big headache for LSG
LSG have a proper batting line-up with household names in their ranks. They have three foreigners, and all are batters. While Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh have hit the ground running for the team, the same cannot be said for West Indian talisman Nicholas Pooran. Pooran, if we cast our mind back, had a stellar season in IPL 2025 batting at 3 as he smashed the spinners for fun and has a good record in that number. His record was exemplary.
Cut to 2026, and he has been in bad form coming into this tournament. LSG have dropped him down to Number 5, hoping he plays the role of finisher. But the runs have totally dried up for the left-hander. He is struggling against spin, a department he dominated last season. Yes, he managed two sixes off two balls against Rashid Khan. But in general, it was a struggle for him as he fell for 19 off 21 balls, going at less than a run a ball. He is playing shots and getting out.
Going forward, LSG will be hoping Pooran comes to the party soon, as the dynamic left-hander is crucial to the team’s fortunes. If the left-hander starts scoring runs, the team will benefit from it. Currently, he is trying to buy a run in this tournament. It will be a big headache for LSG if Pooran continues to have a season like the current one. All fans will be hoping he roars back into form.
What Lies Ahead
So, GT have won their second consecutive game and are level on points with LSG. There are a few teams that are locked on 4 points from 2 games. They will be in action in the coming week. We start the new week with a clash between SRH and RR in Hyderabad. Both teams have power-packed batting line-ups. Let’s see how the game pans out in Hyderabad later today.
Also Read: LSG vs GT: Prasidh Krishna’s 4-Wicket Haul Helps GT Their 2nd Consecutive Win