IPL 2025: Relentless six-hitting from Pooran, Marsh powers LSG to 238/3 against KKR

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], April 8 (ANI): Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) fans at Eden Gardens, Kolkata were up for a triple treat as three super-explosive knocks from Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh and Nicholas Pooran helped them post 238/3 in their 20 overs against defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Tuesday.
LSG needs to defend 239 runs to secure their third win of the tournament. After putting 95 runs in first 10 overs, LSG went berserk in the second half as a six-hitting spree from Marsh and Pooran helped them compile 143 more runs.
After KKR won the toss and opted to field first, LSG openers Mitchell Marsh and Aiden Markram took the attack to KKR bowlers, particularly Spencer Johnson, with Markram dominating him with two fours and a six in the fourth over, giving his team 18 runs.
The final over of the powerplay by Harshit Rana was also a big one, as Marsh and Markram collected a six each, bringing up the 50-run mark in 5.2 overs. At the end of six overs in the powerplay, LSG was 59/0, with Markram (36*) and Marsh (21*) unbeaten.
Marsh and Markram even dominated Sunil Narine, with his first two overs going for 23 runs in total and Marsh getting an upper hand against him.
At the end of 10 overs, LSG was 95/0, with Aiden Markram (43*) and Mitchell Marsh (48*) unbeaten.
The 99-run partnership between the duo was broken as a slower ball from Harshit Rana cleaned Markram's stumps for 47 in 28 balls, with four boundaries and two sixes just after he hit Harshit for a four.
LSG reached their 100-run mark in 10.3 overs. Marsh reached his fourth fifty in five matches in 36 balls, with four boundaries and three sixes.
LSG continued to make a meal out of Spencer, as three fours by Marsh and Nicholas Pooran and two wides gave them 16 runs in the 12th over. Vaibhav Arora continued throwing some extras and faced some big hitting from Marsh.
Even the red-hot Varun Chakravarthy was dragged into the this carnage, giving away 16 runs in his final over, with two sixes from the duo. LSG reached 150-run mark in 13.3 overs.
Pooran dominated spin, reaching his 2,000 IPL runs and hitting two sixes against Narine.
Andre Russell brought an end to the carnage, removing Marsh for 81 in 48 balls, with six fours and five sixes, ending a quickfire 70-run stand in 30 balls. LSG was 170/2 in 15.2 overs.
At death overs phase, Pooran continued to wreck LSG bowlers, bringing up his third fifty of the season in just 21 balls, with two fours and six sixes. He demolished Russell with three fours and two sixes in his over. Russell gave away 24 runs and LSG reached their 200-run mark in 17.3 overs.
Rana's second wicket, cleaning up Abdul Samad for just six runs, gave KKR some temporary respite. KKR is 221/3 in 18.2 overs.
LSG finished at 238/3 in their 20 overs, with Pooran (87* in 36 balls, with seven fours and eight sixes) and David Miller (4*) unbeaten.
Harshit Rana though the most expensive bowler, took 2/51 in four overs. Spencer Johnson was taken to the cleaners, giving away 46 runs in three overs. Russell took 2/32 in his two overs. The spin duo of Narine, Varun did not work as they went wicketless with 0/38 in three overs and 0/31 in four overs respectively. (ANI)