Gujarat Titans couldn’t handle the challenge of Lucknow Super Giants at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The hosts went down by 33 runs in their 13th match of the Indian Premier League 2025. GT captain Shubman Gill won the toss and invited LSG to bat first on a flat track. Former India player Mohammad Kaif mentioned that it allowed the batters to break free, with Nicholas making the most vital contribution to the overall total of 235/2.
Mitchell Marsh and Aiden Markram added more than 90 runs for the first wicket in 10 overs. After Markram’s dismissal, Marsh and Pooran stitched a partnership of 121 runs.
Australia all-rounder managed 117 runs off 64 balls, including 10 fours and 8 sixes. The West Indies batter didn’t let the scoring rate come down and remained not out on 56 runs off 27 balls, packed with 5 sixes and 4 boundaries.
Gujarat went for the kill from the start but the pressure of asking run-rate scripted their downfall, despite an aggressive fifty (57 off 29 balls) by Shahrukh Khan. Gill (35), Jos Buttler (33) and Sherfane Rutherford (38) couldn’t capitalise on their starts and the 2022 champions were restricted to 202/9.
Kaif hailed Nicholas Pooran for his innings. “Six hitting machine was the difference. He was preferred over Rishabh Pant in the batting order and I think it was a good move. Pooran is your in-form batter and his innings took the team’s total to 235. He hit the first ball for a six and it was tough to bowl against him,” Mohammad Kaif said on Star Sports.
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