IPL: Nicholas Pooran smashes second-fastest fifty in history of tournament

Lucknow Super Giants' Nicholas Pooran, while playing against the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the 15th game of the IPL 2023, smashed the fastest fifty of the tournament's current edition. He also entered his name in record books by smashing the joint second-fastest fifty in the tournament's history, equalling Sunil Narine and Yusuf Pathan's record.

While KL Rahul and Pat Cummins hold the record of scoring the fastest half-century in the IPL, achieving the feat off just 14 deliveries, Pooran came very close to leveling that record, but ended up scoring the fifty on the 15th delivery that he faced. The wicketkeeper-batter entered the game at a very crucial phase, and set the stage on fire as he went bonkers and smashed the RCB bowlers all around the ground.

Lucknow were reduced to 99/4 when Pooran entered the crease, but he took charge of the game and played a fiery knock of a 19-ball 62 before being dismissed. RCB did tremendously well in the first innings as they scored 212/2, thanks to the half-centuries by top-order batters Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis and Glenn Maxwell. 

LSG snatch a victory from jaws of defeat

The bowlers too set the tone of the game in the powerplay as Mohammed Siraj struck in the very first over to dismiss Kyle Mayers, and Wayne Parnell then took two wickets in the fourth over dismissing Deepak Hooda and Krunal Pandya. KL Rahul could not stay on the field for long and ended up giving away his wicket to Siraj. 

But in came Pooran and snatched the game away from RCB. After Siraj dismissed Pooran on the final delivery of the 17th over, RCB had high chances to win the game, but mistakes by the bowlers led to LSG batters taking advantage of the situation. The game went down the wire when LSG needed five to win off the final over.

Harshal Patel managed to dismiss Mark Wood and Jaydev Unadkat as the equation came down to the visitors needing one off the final delivery. A missed run-out chance at the non striker's end by Patel in his follow through followed by a fumble by Dinesh Karthik led to LSG getting the final run and winning the game by the barest of margins.