Media365
Nicholas Pooran let his bat do the talking in spectacular fashion as Lucknow Super Giants stunned Gujarat Titans by 33 runs at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Thursday. While the result marked GT’s fourth defeat of the season and second against LSG, it was Pooran’s emphatic response to Mohammed Siraj‘s mid-over sledging that stole the spotlight.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The moment came in the 16th over of Lucknow’s innings when Siraj exchanged words with Pooran. The West Indian southpaw, known for his aggressive style, responded in kind — by dismantling Siraj’s next two balls. He first launched a cross-seam fuller delivery over deep mid-wicket for six, followed by a powerful straight boundary, holding his pose and blowing a kiss toward the bowler in a cheeky but decisive statement.Who’s that IPL player?“What have you got to say now?” quipped commentator Simon Doull, capturing the mood as Siraj turned away in silence.WATCH:Pooran went on to complete a whirlwind fifty off just 23 balls — his fifth fifty in 25 balls or fewer this season, a new record in IPL history. His last half-century came over a month ago — also against Gujarat — which was followed by a lean patch of low scores. Speaking at the break, Pooran said, “It happened, unfortunately, I wasn’t up to the standards… I’ve accepted that and just want to continue to make the most of opportunities.”
Powered by Pooran’s unbeaten 56* and a brilliant maiden IPL century by Mitchell Marsh, Lucknow posted a daunting 235/2 — their third-highest IPL total. Gujarat, despite sitting atop the table with 18 points and one game remaining, saw their top-two finish hopes dented after managing only 202/9 in reply.
