The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) simply cannot find a win under their name. In the battle of 9th vs 10th, in which LSG were 9th, they went down to 10th place KKR in a thrilling Super Over clash. KKR managed to get two wins in a row and have moved upwards to 8th in the table, while LSG are in 10th place now. This is their 5th consecutive loss in a game where they had their moments and control for most parts of the game. There were glaring errors made by LSG, and we will point them out for you.
Conceding 62 runs in the last 5 overs, including 4 sixes in 4 balls off the last over, shifted the momentum of the match
LSG put KKR into bat first, and started really well with the ball in hand. They rocked KKR early in the power play, getting wickets at will and had the Knights reeling at 31/4 in 6.1 overs. At this stage, it seemed as if the Knights did not have a chance in this contest. There was a brief partnership between Cameron Green and Rinku Singh of 42 runs to bring KKR back on track. But then Green and Anukul Roy fell off consecutive balls before Ramandeep fell 20 runs later.
At 93/7 in 15 overs, it was all LSG when Sunil Narine joined the well-set Rinku Singh. Rinku Singh activated his beast mode from here on and smashed the bowlers that came to bowl to him. Narine was a mere spectator at the other end. It was the Rinku show all the way. The momentum clincher was the last two overs of the innings. The KKR score was 112 after 18 overs when Rinku smashed 17 runs off the 19th over. To add icing on the cake, Digvesh Rathi, the spinner, came to bowl the final over, and he was smashed for 4 sixes and went for 26 runs.
This was the momentum clincher as KKR had no business getting to 150+. But these two overs shifted the momentum towards KKR. Rinku played an unbelievable knock of 83 unbeaten off 51 balls to take the game away from LSG and give his side something to bowl at. LSG might have thought they would restrict KKR to 130-140. But getting to 155 made all the difference in the end.
LSG needs to bowl better in the end overs, as during the game against RR, there were also loads of runs scored in the death overs. This is an area that needs improvement going forward, especially in close matches.
Tactical Blunders by Rishabh Pant and team management hurt LSG
Captain Rishabh Pant performed decently with the bat in hand in the chase, but once again, as the captain of the side, he bottled another close game with his decision-making. When things were going well, he rotated his bowlers really well as the pacers did the job on this Lucknow pitch. They had KKR on the ropes, but could not go for the kill, and that was the issue for the LSG team. They should have kept KKR down to a lower score than 155.
The last 5 overs went for 62 runs, out of which the final 2 overs went for 17 and 26 respectively. That amounts to 43 runs off the last two overs, and in a T20 game, that is game-changing. It was that much from Rinku Singh. But the error made by Pant was giving the final over to a spinner named Digvesh Rathi. Rathi might be a good bowler and stuff. But giving a spinner the final over against Rinku Singh is something that is baffling. It is asking for trouble, and Rinku made the most of it. 4 sixes were hit, and 26 came off the final over.
If the 26 had been kept down to even 15, it would have made a huge difference to the score and the match. The fast bowlers were done by 19 overs, and Pant got his calculations all wrong. Thereafter, LSG did well to take the game to a Super Over thanks to a Shami 6 off Kartik Tyagi. But then, when the Super Over started, out-of-form Nicholas Pooran came out to face the first ball from Sunil Narine. Aiden Markram was there with him.
What happened next was that Pooran was knocked over, bowled, and LSG in the end managed 1/2 and lost the Super Over. The decision to send Pooran ahead of other in-form players was something baffling from the team management. No blame to Pant alone here, the team management is responsible for this. These baffling calls make a huge difference in the outcome of the match. LSG needs to sort itself out before it’s too late.
The failure of Mitchell Marsh & Consistent Underperformance of Nicholas Pooran are creating headaches for LSG
Notwithstanding the tactical errors in the first innings, 156 was a gettable target on a slightly challenging surface in Lucknow, where the pitch tends to slow up. But for that, they needed a good start. Unfortunately for LSG, Mitchell Marsh missed out as he played a poor shot against Vaibhav Arora and was holed out in the deep for 2 off 3 balls. Mitchell Marsh has had a good season so far, so this is a rare failure for him. He will want to get things right and come back stronger in their next game.
But despite losing Marsh, LSG came back on track through Markram and Pant as the duo got starts and got 30s and 40s to their name. The duo added 57 runs for the second wicket to stabilise the innings and bring LSG back on track in this chase. But Markram fell for 31 off 27 balls to Cameron Green. Then came the underperformer of IPL 2026, Nicholas Pooran. Pooran struggled to get going and showed no intent as well. He was going to run a ball or even less than that in his innings. He struggled for fluency.
Because of too many dot balls, Pant felt the pressure and attempted a reverse sweep and was caught behind by Seifert. Ayush Badoni came in next. Pooran struggled in his stay and scored 9 off 12 balls before he was dismissed by Varun to leave LSG in all sorts of trouble at 89/4 in 14 overs in the chase of 156. This is not the first time that Pooran has failed. He hasn’t got going, adding 82 runs in 8 innings. Add to that, he has had a lean run in all other leagues, as after international retirement, Pooran hasn’t been the same again.
Time is running out for LSG and Pooran. The management and Pant have been extremely patient with him. With Josh Inglis set to join in the first week of May, Pooran could be benched in the subsequent games, and to be honest, one wouldn’t be surprised by it. Matthew Breetzke is waiting in the wings in the squad. But the performance isn’t coming for Pooran, and the team languishing in 10th place now may be losing patience with him. He either needs to get his act together or get dropped from the team.
What Lies Ahead
LSG now has a long break of around one week, if we may so say. They next face MI in Mumbai on 4th May, 2026, which is next Monday. KKR too have a break of their own for one week as they next face on Sunday afternoon against SRH in Hyderabad. Both teams have away games next. Coming up later tonight in IPL 2026, it’s DC hosting RCB in New Delhi. DC are in 7th place while RCB are in 2nd place. DC needs a win more than RCB for sure.
Let’s see how this game pans out later tonight in New Delhi.
Also Read:Â LSG vs KKR: Rinku Singh Stars As KKR Win Thrilling Super Over