Pooran’s record 50 hands Super Giants dramatic win

BENGALURU, India (CMC):

Nicholas Pooran struck the fastest 50 of the Indian Premier League season and joint second fastest-ever as Lucknow Super Giants chased down a daunting 212 to pull off a thrilling one-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) off the last ball here yesterday.

The left-handed former West Indies white-ball captain arrived at the crease at 99 for four in the 11th over with his side still requiring 114 runs off 56 balls, and blasted an astonishing 19-ball 62 with four fours and seven sixes to also earn Man-of-the-Match honours.

He reached his fifty off just 15 deliveries with a six over long on off seamer Wayne Parnell, in the 15th over of the chase that leaked 17 runs.

Pooran was helped by Australian Marcus Stoinis who top-scored with 65 from 30 balls while Ayush Badoni chipped in with 30 from 24 balls, Super Giants rallying from a precarious 23 for three in the fourth over to notch their third win in four matches and take sole possession of the lead in the standings on six points.

Earlier, South African Faf du Plessis (79), Virat Kohli (61) and Australian Glenn Maxwell (59) slammed half-centuries to power RCB to 212 for three off their 20 overs.

Sent in, RCB flourished through an opening stand of 96 anchored by captain du Plessis, the right-hander blasting five fours and five sixes in a 46-ball knock, in partnership with Kohli who struck four fours and four sixes off 44 balls.

When Kohli fell, du Plessis joined with Maxwell, who counted three fours and half-dozen sixes in a 29-ball cameo, to add a further 115 for the second wicket.

Super Giants started poorly, West Indies left-hander Kyle Mayers among the carnage with a three-ball duck, bowled by seamer Mohammad Siraj (3-22) in the opening over.

The recovery began with Stoinis, the right-hander adding 76 for the fourth wicket with captain KL Rahul (18) to put pressure on RCB.

Both fell in successive overs with six runs added but Pooran changed the game with his explosive knock as he put on an exhilarating 84 for the sixth wicket, before perishing at the end of the 17th over when he was caught at backward square off a Siraj full toss.

With 10 runs needed from the last over sent down by seamer Harshal Patel, Super Giants lost two wickets before Ravi Bishnoi (three not out) and Avesh Khan (nought not out) scrambled a bye off the last ball with a single run required.