Lucknow Super Giants batters Nicholas Pooran and Mitchell Marsh's magnificent fifties outsmarted the hosts Kolkata Knight Riders by four runs in a last over thriller at their home, Eden Gardens on Tuesday, April 8, 2025.
It was a track where batters made merry after LSG put on 238 for 3 before KKR fell just four runs short as over 400 runs were scored.
Mitch Marsh played a pivotal role in LSG's victory over KKR, scoring a belligerent half-century, contributing significantly to his team's total.
Opening the batting with Aiden Markram, Marsh took some time to read the condiitions before teeing off.
He took a liking particularly to his compatriot Spencer Johnson who was smacked to all corners of the park.
The Aussie is known to make the most of the Powerplay overs and in the final over of the Powerplay he sent Harshit Rana's delivery for a six and brought up the 50-run opening stand in the over.
Marsh was on song throughout his innings, he struck his boundaries some brutal power, even Sunil Narine was his victim on occassion.
Marsh brought up his 50th six off Rana in the 6th over -- Marsh reached his fourth fifty in five matches in 36 balls, with four boundaries and three sixes.
He looked in control of all his shots. Even Varun Chakravarthy was clobbered for a four and six by Marsh.
Marsh was eventually dismissed by Andre Russell in his opening over with Marsh out for 81 off 48 balls. Marsh's innings was decorated with six fours and 5 maximums.
He has now hit four 50s in five innings in the IPL, a sign of things to come.
His successful return to form this season underscores his importance to the LSG lineup and provides a boost to their campaign.
Aiden Markram is back in form.
He showed his class again on Tuesday, with a sweet stroke-filled innings.
Markram took little time to get going and smashed Spencer Johnson for 3 boundaries in the fourth over.
Markram took hold of the poor deliveries and dispatched them to the boundaries with utmost ease.
There was fluency in his batting as the South African brought on the opening 50-run stand in just 5.2 overs.
While Marsh took the upper hand in the partnership, Markram was content to rotare the strike so as to not plug the run flow,
Markram hit a four off Rana in the 11th over, a superb cut through backward point before the ball crashed through his defences, shattering the stumps.
His 47 off 28 a valuable contribution in the 99-run opening stand with Marsh,
Markram's numbers in his last three innings read : 28(18) vs PBKS, 53(38) vs MI and 47(28) vs KKR.
This is a huge confidence booster for LSG with still a truckload of matches yet to be played.
Nicholas Pooran has the West Indian swagger and he has the game to match it. He walks the talk and his consistency is proof of his class.
A T20 specialist, Pooran rarely fails. With a firm head on his shoulders, he is the man to look up to.
On Tuesday, Pooran's batting was an exhibition of power and deft touch as he played a free-flowing knock.
He made the bowlers pay for being too short and wide. He swept the bowling and lofted the ball to the boundary.
Pooran teamed up with Marsh for a 69-run stand and once Marsh was gone, he dominated the bowlers.
He brough up his 50 off 21 balls with a six off Rana. He put the final touches as he clobbered Russell for three fours and two sixes in the 18th over and stayed unbeaten on 87 off 36 to help LSG put on 238 for 3, which was eventually a winning total, even if it was only just.
En route Pooran completed 2000 runs in the IPL and smashed his 150th six in the tournament -- becoming the third-fastest batsman -- 78 innings-- to reach the milestone.
With 277 runs in 5 matches Pooran is now the Orange Cap holder.
KKR Captain Ajinkya Rahane showed class and brought out some text book shots to compile a fighting half ton in their chase for a mammoth win.
Rahane came in at the fall of Quinton de Kock's wicket and he was off in a flash, with back-to-back fours off Vaibhav Arora.
Rahane played some wholesome strokes while hardly taking his foot off the accelerator.
The joy of watching Rahane in full flow was for all to see. He didn't experiment or play any risky shot. After stitching a 50-run stand with Sunil Narine, he kept the runs ticking along with Venkatesh Iyer.
Rahane brought his 50 off just 26 balls with a cheeky paddle sweep off Avesh Khan -- this was his 50th half-ton in T20 cricket.
He was finally removed by Shardul Thakur, a soft dismissal as he played the full toss straight to Pooran at cover. Rahane's 61 off 35 balls kept KKR in the hunt. Eventually the hosts fell short by four runs.
Rahane's four fifties since 2023 are his four fastest in the IPL -- 50 off 19 balls vs MI, 2023, 50 off 24 balls vs KKR, 2023, 50 off 25 balls vs RCB, 2025, 50 off 26 balls vs LSG on Tuesday.
KKR will be pleased to see their skipper firing and there is hope he carries it deep into the tournament.
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