IPL 2025: Pooran's Pyrotechnics Win It For LSG in Run Fest At Eden Gardens
KKR's spirited chase of 238 comes apart in the final stages of chase
For the most part KKR's batting innings, it seemed to be in control of the mammoth chase of 238 with some inspired and effective batting. But it all seemed to change in the 12th over bowled by Shardul Thakur may have been the tipping point.
He bowled 5 wides on the trot, and that ironically seemed to stop the momentum of Ajinkya Rahane and 61 (45) and Venky Iyer 45 (29) who were hitting boundaries at will till then.
Rahane perished in the same 11-ball over --- the longest in IPL history. Then Rishab Pant had treatment for some back issue, and it again stopped the batting flow. In that phase, KKR's batting rate: 15 balls, 14 runs, 4 wickets.
The match was lost then and there. Some late heroics from Rinku Singh was not going to be enough for the plucky KKR. It needed 24 runs in the last over bowled by Ravi Bishnoi. The first ball was hit for a four. But then it all unravelled In the event, it fell agonisingly short by 4 runs.
Earlier, on a barren Eden Gardens wicket, LSG delivered a batting masterclass as it posted a mammoth 238/3 --- its second-highest first-innings total in IPL history, thanks to an explosive innings from Nicholas Pooran. Mitchell Marsh, the Australian all-rounder was in scintillating form, too, smashing 81 runs off 42 balls. His innings included 7 fours and 5 sixes, setting the tone for LSG's dominance.
But it was Pooran, who played a breath-taking knock, remaining unbeaten on 87 off 31 balls. His innings featured 9 sixes and 4 fours, showcasing his ability to accelerate in the death overs. Pooran is averaging 4.8 sixes per match this. Nobody has bettered that in history (min 20 sixes in an IPL season), and the next best is Chris Gayle, with 3.9 sixes per match back in 2012. Aiden Markram contributed a steady 47 off 34 balls, providing a solid foundation for the innings.
Marsh and Markram built a crucial partnership, taking LSG close to the 100-run mark before Markram's dismissal. Pooran took over in the latter half of the innings, forming brief but impactful partnerships with Abdul Samad and David Miller. The off-form Rishabh Pant did not come to bat at all as his confidence must have been really low.
LSG's total of 238/3 is the second-highest total ever against KKR in IPL history. The team hammered 15 sixes, showcasing its power-hitting capabilities. KKR's bowlers struggled to contain the onslaught, with Harshit Rana being the only bowler to pick up two wickets. The Eden Gardens pitch, known for its batter-friendly nature, further amplified LSG's dominance.
