- By Namrata Vijay
- Mon, 04 May 2026 10:12 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
MI vs LSG IPL 2026: Nicholas Pooran staged a remarkable comeback, hammering a fifty off 16 balls during their IPL 2026 match against the Mumbai Indians in Mumbai on Monday. Before this match, he managed just 82 runs in eight games at a modest average of 10.25.
Simultaneously, he endured a disappointing outing against the Ajinkya Rahane-led side last week. Pooran scored nine runs before Varun Chakravarthy dismissed him. He was out for a duck in the super over when Sunil Narine claimed his wicket. This marked his third super over duck across three matches.
Pooran’s form deteriorated to the point where ex-Protea pacer Dale Steyn remarked during commentary that the Rishabh Pant-led side should have avoided sending him in the super over. However, on Monday, Pooran demonstrated why he ranks among the top players in the shortest format and why he should not be underestimated.
NICHOLAS POORAN TAKES DOWN MI
Pooran decimated the MI bowlers, scoring a fierce 63 runs off 21 balls, including one four and eight sixes. He entered at No.3 after Josh Inglis’s early departure to Alllah Ghazanfar and promptly regained his form.
He forged a swift 94-run partnership with Mitchell Marsh, sparking LSG’s resurgence after an early setback.
Pooran returned to peak performance against spinners, unleashing slog sweeps and lofted hits during overs from Will Jacks and Ghazanfar. Every ball in his hitting range resulted in a four or six as he repeatedly targeted mid-wicket or long-on.
His solid stance enabled him to attack the pacers relentlessly. Pooran punished Deepak Chahar and Jasprit Bumrah, exploiting the pitch’s pace to smash boundaries and maintain a brisk scoring rate.
Pooran maintained his aggressive approach until Corbin Bosch dismissed him. Bosch delivered a well-placed short ball at the leg stump, triggering Pooran’s pull shot and leading to his catch by Ryan Rickleton.