Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) head coach and former Australia legend Justin Langer has defended the team’s decision to send Nicholas Pooran out to bat in the Super Over against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Sunday, April 26.
After the match ended in a thrilling tie, a Super Over was conducted to determine the winner of the match, as is protocol for all IPL matches.
Nicholas Pooran opens in the Super Over
LSG batted second in regular time and hence batted first in the Super Over. In a Super Over, teams are allowed only two wickets and three batters. LSG sen Pooran to open the Super Over with Aiden Markram.
For KKR, their bona fide bowling legend Sunil Narine was chosen to deliver the tie-breaker. Narine had famously bowled a maiden over in the Super Over to Pooran in a Caribbean Premier League match in 2014.
On Sunday, Pooran was bowled on the first ball, trying to slash Narine over to the leg side. Two balls later, Rovman Powell and Rinku Singh got rid of Aiden Markram with a stunning relay catch. KKR’s target in the Super Over was limited to just 2 runs.
Rinku Singh then smashed the first ball he faced in the Super Over for four over point to the bowling of Prince Yadav to send LSG to their fifth consecutive loss.
“If anyone can handle a Super Over, it’s Nicholas Pooran” – Langer
LSG head coach Justin Langer defended his team’s decision to send Nicholas Pooran into the Super Over in the press conference after the match.
“We knew that Sunil Narine was the bowler, and if you look at Nicky’s (Pooran’s) record, he’s seen Narine more than anyone in world cricket,” Langer said. “So, we felt he was still the best, I know he hasn’t hit his form yet, and Nicky will be the first, but we thought if anyone can handle a Super Over, it’s Nicky Pooran. And you back your best players, right? That’s what you do”.
“So, he has struggled, but if you look at all the numbers, no one plays Narine, the world-class off spinner, better than Nicky, but it didn’t come off unfortunately”.
Langer’s confidence in the southpaw was not without reason. Overall in all T20s, Nicholas Pooran has made 195 runs at an average of 48.75 against Sunil Narine.
Langer admits Pooran is low on confidence
In 8 matches in IPL 2025, Nicholas Pooran has made just 82 runs at a strike rate of 81.18.
Langer admitted that he was slightly low on confidence and was working his way back from it.
“He’s working on it, and it’s amazing that even big players like him, there’s probably no greater T20 player currently in the world over the last few years, it just goes to show he’s human, and you can’t fake confidence,” Langer said.
“We all try to, you can look like [you are] confident, but confidence comes from getting your processes right, and we’re working every day with him, and he is working very hard to get it back. Sometimes this is a tough game of cricket, my gosh, it’s a tough game”.
