Nicholas Pooran

Nicholas Pooran and Mitchell Marsh Fire LSG to a Narrow 4-Run Win Over KKR in IPL 2025 Thriller

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The Eden Gardens in Kolkata played host to an absolute spectacle in Match 19 of the TATA IPL 2025, as Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) clinched a heart-stopping 4-run victory over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in a high-scoring encounter. It was a game that had everything—power-hitting, momentum shifts, drama, and a final-over finish that kept fans on the edge of their seats until the very last ball.

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The match, which had been rescheduled from April 6, began with KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane winning the toss and opting to bowl first on a good-looking batting surface. LSG’s new captain Rishabh Pant sent out his trusted opening pair of Mitchell Marsh and Aiden Markram, who have been in excellent form this season. The start was cautious, with Vaibhav Arora giving away just three runs in the opening over. However, the calm didn’t last long.

Mitchell Marsh wasted no time in shifting gears, launching a massive six off Spencer Johnson in the second over to set the tone. Markram soon followed suit, and the duo stitched together a strong partnership. Despite Arora’s tight spell, LSG finished the powerplay at 59/0, setting a solid platform for a big score.

Aiden Markram took on the role of aggressor, playing innovative and clean shots, while Marsh rotated the strike and picked his moments to attack. The pair added 95 runs for the opening wicket before KKR finally broke through in the 11th over, with Harshit Rana bowling a peach to dismiss Markram for a well-made 47 off 28 balls.

That dismissal brought in the dangerous Nicholas Pooran, who wasted no time announcing his arrival. Meanwhile, Marsh continued to attack and reached his fourth fifty of the season. Together, Marsh and Pooran added 71 runs at a rapid pace before Marsh finally fell for a blazing 81 off 48 balls, laced with 6 fours and 5 sixes.

Pooran then shifted into overdrive. The West Indian left-hander brought up his fifty off just 21 balls, tearing into the KKR bowlers with brutal hitting. The highlight of his innings came in the 18th over, when he hammered his Caribbean teammate Andre Russell for 24 runs, with a series of sixes and fours. Despite a slight slowdown in the final two overs, LSG ended their innings at a colossal 238/3, their second-highest total in IPL history. Pooran remained unbeaten on 87 off 36 deliveries, smashing 7 fours and 8 sixes in a sensational display of power-hitting.

Nicholas Pooran

Chasing 239, KKR needed a blazing start—and they got just that. Quinton de Kock began with intent, hitting two sixes, but his stay was cut short by Akash Deep, who dismissed him for 15 after a successful DRS review overturned the on-field decision. What followed was an electric partnership between Ajinkya Rahane and Sunil Narine, who turned back the clock with their aggressive strokeplay.

KKR raced to 90/1 in the powerplay, their second-best in IPL history. Narine’s 30 off 13 balls provided the early acceleration, but his stay was ended by young spinner Digvesh Rathi, who struck with just his second ball. Rahane carried on the charge, reaching his second half-century of the season in just 26 balls, with Venkatesh Iyer playing a fluent supporting role.

At the halfway stage, KKR were cruising at 129/2, slightly ahead of the required rate. But then came the turning point. In the 13th over, Shardul Thakur, playing his 100th IPL match, had a roller-coaster of an over. After bowling five consecutive wides and conceding a boundary, he bounced back to dismiss Rahane with the final delivery of the over.

From there, LSG wrestled back control. Ravi Bishnoi got rid of Ramandeep Singh, Avesh Khan cleaned up Angkrish Raghuvanshi, and Akash Deep removed the well-set Venkatesh Iyer (45 off 29). KKR slipped from 162/2 to 177/6 in the space of just 15 balls—losing four crucial wickets and giving LSG a real chance.

With 54 runs needed from the last 24 balls, KKR still had their two power-hitters—Andre Russell and Rinku Singh—at the crease. But Shardul Thakur returned to take the big wicket of Russell, who was caught brilliantly by David Miller at long-off.

Nicholas Pooran

Rinku Singh, the finisher, almost pulled off another miracle. He smashed 14 runs off the last three balls of the 19th over and kept KKR in the hunt. With 24 needed off the final over, bowled by Ravi Bishnoi, Rinku tried his best. He struck two fours and a six, reducing the equation to 4 off the final ball. But Bishnoi held his nerve and denied Rinku any further boundary, sealing a stunning 4-run win for LSG.

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