West Indies cricketer Nicholas Pooran has reportedly signed a new contract for the Indian Premier League (IPL) team Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).

Recently, the 29-year-old Caribbean cricketer Nicholas Pooran was in Kolkata to meet with the RPSG officials. While Cricbuzz confirmed this report, the cricket news website also claimed that the Caribbean cricketer could be the first official sign for the IPL 2025. 

The retention deadline is October 31. On that day, we can learn the retained players of each IPL team before the mega auction. 

LSG are unlikely to retain KL Rahul

The LSG team management is unlikely to retain the captain KL Rahul, who is the only batter to record 1000+ runs for the team. LSG played the Eliminators in their first two IPL seasons but finished in the seventh position in the IPL 2024. 

Although the LSG owner has claimed that Rahul is a family member, the unhappiness with the captain was publicly seen in the last season.

Nicholas Pooran's performances

Pooran is the fourth-most run-scorer for LSG, as he has scored 857 runs in 29 games with an average of 42.85 and a strike rate of 175.97. The left-handed Caribbean batter has hit five half-centuries. In the last IPL season, Pooran scored 499 runs with an average of 62.37 and a strike rate of 178.21, including three half-centuries. 

As Pooran is going to be the first sign for the LSG, his retention value can be INR 18 crore. However, the franchise can deal with him for lesser or higher salaries. 

An LSG official said, according to Cricbuzz, "Pooran is committed to LSG, possesses a winning mindset, thinks deep and above all he is adaptable to the batting order and any match situation.”

If LSG don’t retain KL Rahul, Pooran can be their next captain for the IPL 2025. 

According to the Cricbuzz report, capped players Ravi Bishnoi and Mayank Yadav and the uncapped players Ayush Badoni and Mohsin Khan can be the other retained names for the LSG. 

Veteran West Indies batter Nicholas Pooran has become the first batter in the history of T20 cricket to hit more than 150 sixes in a calendar year. So far this year, he has smacked 151 sixes in just 63 innings and is expected to add more to the tally with the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) in progress as well. However, Pooran is playing for Trinbago Knight Riders in the tournament and crossed the 150 sixes mark during his unbeaten 93-run knock which came off 43 balls against St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in the 25th match of the season as well.

However, Nicholas Pooran smashed seven sixes during his match-winning innings to make headlines. With this, he had also ended legendary batter Chris Gayle's supremacy becoming the player to hit most sixes in a calendar year as well. Notably, Gayle had smashed 135 sixes in a single calendar year and he is the only player to hit more than 100 or more sixes in a year six times as well.

SEE ALSO: R Ashwin decodes difference between Rahul Dravid and Gautam Gambhir

Most sixes in a calendar year

Nicholas Pooran completed 2000 T20 runs this year

As far as Nicholas Pooran's knock is concerned, during his 93-run knock, he also completed 2000 T20 runs this year and became only the second player to do so. Meanwhile, Pakistan's Mohammad Rizwan is the first player to cross the 2000-run mark in a calendar year and he did it in 2021 as well. However, Rizwan had scored 2036 runs in only 45 innings which came at an average of 56.55 with a century and 18 half-centuries to his name.

However, Nicholas Pooran has a great chance to break this all-time record with the Trinbago Knight Riders slated to play St Lucia Kings in the 26th match of CPL 2024 on Tuesday (September 24) as well. The veteran is in sublime form in the ongoing CPL edition having scored 275 runs in only seven matches at a strike rate of 176.28. However, he will be keen to break more records by the end of 2024 as well.

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) ended their IPL 2024 campaign on a high note with an 18-run victory over Mumbai Indians (MI) on Friday. This defeat left MI at the bottom of the 10-team table with only 8 points from 14 games.

KL Rahul and Nicholas Pooran shine in LSG’s strong total

The foundation of LSG’s commendable total of 214 for 6 was laid by a 109-run partnership between skipper KL Rahul and Nicholas Pooran. Rahul scored a steady 55 off 41 balls, while Pooran smashed 75 off just 29 balls, including eight sixes and five boundaries. Their efforts were crucial after LSG lost their opener Devdutt Padikkal for a duck early on. Marcus Stoinis (28) provided some stability before Pooran and Rahul took control.

Mumbai’s bowlers, Piyush Chawla and Nuwan Thusara, were the standouts, each claiming three wickets. Chawla’s 3 for 29 and Thusara’s 3 for 28 helped to restrict LSG from an even bigger score.

Mumbai Indians’ chase falls short despite Rohit Sharma’s heroics

In response, Mumbai Indians started their chase aggressively. Rohit Sharma hit two consecutive sixes in the second over. However, rain interrupted play with MI at 33/0. After the rain break, Sharma continued his onslaught, completing his fifty in 28 balls. Despite his efforts, MI faced regular setbacks.

Rohit Sharma’s valiant 68 off 38 deliveries and Naman Dhir’s fighting 62 off 28 balls were the highlights of MI’s innings. However, the rest of the batting lineup failed to support them adequately. Brevis was dismissed for 23 by Navin, and Suryakumar Yadav got out for a duck. Hardik Pandya managed only 16 runs, and Ravi Bishnoi struck again to get Wadhera out for just 1 run. Ishan Kishan’s 14-run contribution was also insufficient to change the outcome.

Despite their efforts, MI ended at 196 for 6, falling short by 18 runs. This match underlined the importance of consistent partnerships and disciplined bowling, as demonstrated by LSG.

See Also: Is it Rohit’s last hurrah for Mumbai Indians in IPL? Reports

In the end, LSG’s combined team effort in both batting and bowling ensured their victory, highlighting key performances from both experienced players and newcomers.

Delhi Capitals registered a convincing win by 19 runs over Lucknow Super Giants at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi in the 64th match of the ongoing IPL 2024. Abishek Porel and Tristan Stubbs smashed quick knocks and Ishant Sharma claimed three wickets and helped the team win.

DC players did well with the bat

Lucknow Super Giants won the toss and opted to bowl first. Batting first, DC lost their in-form opener Jake Fraser-McGurk for a duck. However, Abishek Porel and Shai Hope maintained their good form and added 92 runs within 8.3 overs. Porel scored 58 off 33 with 5 fours and 4 sixes whereas Hope smashed 38 off 27 with 3 fours and two sixes as well.

However, after their dismissals, middle-order batters Rishabh Pant and Tristan Stubbs stepped up. While Pant scored a quickfire 33 off 23 with 5 fours, Tristan Stubbs’ unbeaten fifty and Axar Patel’s quick 14 helped them to post 208 runs in their allotted 20 overs with the loss of 4 wickets.

ALSO READ: Zaheer Khan shares MS Dhoni’s plans after IPL 2024

Nicholas Pooran scored a quick fifty

While chasing, Lucknow Super Giants had a poor start as their opener KL Rahul got out for a mere 5. Soon, they lost their upper order within the powerplay and that didn’t help them to get back in the game again. However, Nicholas Pooran tried to steady the ship with the middle-order batters. But neither Ayush Badoni nor Krunal Pandya could support him. Pooran scored 61 off 27 with 6 fours and 4 sixes.

However, Arshad Khan played a quickfire knock of 58* off 33 with the help of 3 fours and 5 sixes. But his quickfire knock couldn’t help his side as they lost by 19 runs as well.

After the match, KL Rahul said: “I feel the wicket remained the same throughout the 40 overs. When we got JFM out in the first over we should have capitalized, but they – Hope and Porel – showed a lot of intent. We did well at the back end and 200 was a par total, we should have chased it down. This has been a problem right through the season – we keep losing a lot of wickets in the powerplay, we never get a solid start to get the likes of Stoinis and Pooran in, that is the big reason why we are in this position.”

At the M Chinnaswamy stadium in Bengaluru on Tuesday, April 2, 2024, the match unfolded as a test of endurance for the batsmen due to the challenging pitch conditions. Quinton de Kock emerged as the standout performer, notching up the sole half-century of the game with a blistering 81 runs off 56 deliveries. Nicholas Pooran’s explosive innings of 40 runs from just 21 balls, including five crucial sixes in the final two overs, propelled LSG to a competitive total of 181/5.

In response, the RCB batters struggled to find their footing on the unpredictable pitch, eventually succumbing to the opposition’s bowling attack and getting bundled out for 153 runs. Consequently, they suffered a defeat by a margin of 28 runs.

De Kock’s impressive fifty provides the backbone for LSG

Partnering with K L Rahul at the top, de Kock wasted no time in launching an assault, particularly targeting Reece Topley in the opening over. While Rahul watched from the non-striker’s end, de Kock unleashed an array of boundaries. His first six came off Mohammed Siraj’s delivery, effortlessly lofting a length ball over fine leg and into the stands at M Chinnaswamy stadium.

Maintaining his aggression, de Kock struck another maximum off Siraj, this time dispatching a length delivery over deep backward square leg. The opening pair of de Kock and Rahul put together 53 runs in just 33 balls, with de Kock being the more aggressive of the two, contributing 32 runs off 19 deliveries. With a strike rate of 114.64, de Kock’s innings of 81 off 56 balls featured eight boundaries and five sixes.

Mayank brings storm in match with his exceptional performances

Following his stellar debut against the Punjab Kings, the pacer continued his impressive form by wreaking havoc on the RCB batting lineup with his fiery pace.

Entering the attack in the sixth over, Mayank immediately made an impact by dismissing the dangerous Glenn Maxwell. Employing his signature weapon—a blistering bouncer clocked at 151 kph—Maxwell attempted a pull shot but was late, resulting in a simple catch for Nicholas Pooran at mid-on.

In his next over, Mayank produced another sensational delivery to dismiss the highly regarded Australian, Cameron Green. The ball beat Green’s outside edge and crashed into the top of off-stump as he played inside the line.

Consistently clocking speeds of 150-plus, Mayank unsettled the RCB batsmen with his express pace. His third victim, Rajat Patidar, fell to a top-edged pull shot caught at fine leg for 29, highlighting the batsman’s struggle to cope with Mayank’s pace.

Finishing with remarkable figures of 3/14 in four overs, Mayank achieved his second consecutive three-wicket haul in the tournament. Additionally, he set a new record for the fastest delivery in IPL 2024, clocking an astonishing 156.7 kph during the match.

See Also: Lucknow Super Giants beat Royal Challengers Bengaluru by 28 runs; Points Table updated

Pooran survived an early scare when he was dropped on just 2 runs by Anuj Rawat, and from there on, he unleashed an onslaught that Bengaluru won’t soon forget. Following his impactful 42 off 21 balls in LSG’s previous match against the Punjab Kings, Pooran escalated his aggression by smashing a whirlwind 40 runs off just 21 deliveries in this encounter, including five towering sixes in the last two overs, completely altering the game’s momentum.

Taking a particular liking to left-arm seamer Topley, Pooran launched three consecutive sixes off his bowling in the 19th over. And to add insult to injury, he targeted Siraj in the final over, dispatching him for two massive shots to propel the visitors to a formidable total.

With a scorching strike rate of 190.47, Pooran stunned the Bengaluru crowd with one boundary and five maximums. LSG’s last five overs proved to be the turning point, as they accumulated 50 runs, with 33 of those coming in the final two overs, featuring Pooran’s destructive hitting.

Fans were left in awe witnessing the remarkable performance by LSG, particularly Pooran’s explosive batting display and Mayank’s performance. As the match concluded, the spectators eagerly anticipated more such electrifying performances from the team in the upcoming games, setting high expectations for the rest of the tournament.

Punjab skipper Shikhar Dhawan tipped his hat to the 21-year-old Mayank Yadav, hailing the Delhi pacer’s remarkable consistency with raw pace during his IPL debut for Lucknow at the Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Stadium on Saturday.

On the other hand, Lucknow’s bowling mentor and cricketing legend Morne Morkel expressed elation witnessing his protege shine brightly in his maiden appearance in the lucrative league. Mayank’s impactful bowling performance played a pivotal role in steering Lucknow to a triumphant defense of their total of 199 runs, marking a successful start to their campaign in the IPL 2024 season.

Mayank Yadav pushes the game to next level

Mayank Yadav, who remained with Lucknow despite missing the entirety of the previous season due to injury, vindicated the team’s decision with a debut performance that will be etched in IPL history. The young fast bowler disrupted Punjab’s chase following a solid start provided by Shikhar Dhawan and Jonny Bairstow, who forged a 102-run partnership.

Mayank’s sheer pace troubled Bairstow in the 12th over, leading to the breakthrough that dismantled the opening stand, and he followed it up by dismissing Prabhsimran Singh and Jitesh Sharma.

During his spell, Mayank recorded the fastest delivery of IPL 2024 at 155.8 kph in his second over, setting social media abuzz. Remarkably, his slowest delivery of the match clocked at 139 kph. While he conceded 10 runs in his initial over, where Dhawan and Bairstow struck a boundary each, Mayank quickly adjusted his lengths and line. He concluded with impressive figures of 3 wickets for 28 runs in his allotted four overs.

Pooran expresses his excitement for the bowling duo

Nicholas Pooran, when asked about the potential partnership between Shamar Joseph and Mayank, expressed enthusiasm and left the door open for the possibility during the tournament. Mayank’s lightning-fast delivery, clocked at 155.8 kmph during the match at Ekana Stadium in Lucknow, garnered praise from cricketing legend Brett Lee on Twitter. Lee hailed Mayank as India’s fastest bowler at present, even ahead of Hyderabad’s Umran Malik.

Pooran said, “Mayank Yadav does not know how to bowl slowly in the nets. I have faced him once in the nets. Kyle Mayers was telling me in training ‘he’s quick, he’s quick’. I am just happy that the management was able to give him an opportunity today. And I mean, he is going to be the talk of the town for the next couple of weeks.”

Shamar Joseph had previously made a significant impact during West Indies’ Test tour of Australia, notably in both matches where his remarkable performance led to a memorable victory for the West Indies on Australian soil.

“Everything is possible (Shamar Joseph and Mayank Yadav playing together). It depends on KL and the bosses. It will be wonderful. We have a really young bowling group, tonight was successful and there are a lot of learnings that we will take away from this game and there will be games where we will be put under pressure.

“In smaller venues, a lot of top edges will happen and there are the best batters in the world who will hit you for runs. As a group, we need to stay together and encourage the young fast bowlers. We need to comfort them, show them love and not criticise them when things go wrong for them,” he added.

See Also: Who is Mayank Yadav? IPL 2024 fastest bowler

In light of LSG’s youthful bowling contingent, Pooran cautioned fans and pundits to handle praise and criticism with care. He emphasized that Mayank’s performance, likely to be a topic of discussion in the coming weeks, should not be criticized on unfortunate or off days. With this victory, LSG now sit in 5th place on the league table, having accumulated 2 points.

In a thrilling encounter, Rajasthan Royals secured a victory over Lucknow Super Giants by 20 runs in their opening match of the IPL 2024, showcasing stellar performances from key players and delivering an exciting start to the season.

KL Rahul and Nicholas Pooran exhibited formidable batting prowess for Lucknow Super Giants, with both players scoring fifties and posing a significant threat to the Rajasthan Royals’ bowling attack, but wasn’t enough to clinch the victory against RR.

Bowling Brilliance: Sandeep Sharma’s Crucial Dismissal

Veteran bowler Sandeep Sharma played a pivotal role for Rajasthan Royals, delivering a crucial blow by dismissing the LSG captain, adding pressure on the opposition and swinging the momentum in his team’s favor. In his spell of 3 overs, he bagged one important wicket of skipper KL Rahul and only conceded 22 runs.

See Also: Mohammad Amir makes himself available for T20 WC 2024

Rajasthan’s Innings: Samson’s Heroics

Captain Sanju Samson led from the front with an unbeaten innings of 82 runs, steering Rajasthan Royals to a challenging total of 193/4 in 20 overs, laying a solid foundation for his team’s victory. Meanwhile, Riyan Parag also made a valuable 43-run contribution to set up the foundation of a big total. Rajasthan Royals lost their star openers Yashasi Jaiswal (24) and Jos Buttler (11) cheaply inside the powerplay.

Boult’s Impact: Wickets and Pressure

Lucknow Super Giants faced an uphill battle while chasing the formidable target set by Rajasthan Royals, with early setbacks in the form of critical wickets falling rapidly, hindering their momentum and putting them under pressure.

Trent Boult’s proficient bowling proved a formidable challenge for Lucknow Super Giants, as he claimed crucial wickets and maintained consistent pressure on the opposition throughout the match.

KL Rahul’s comeback to competitive cricket after a period of injury was a focal point of the match, sparking discussions and anticipation among fans and pundits alike as he showcased his batting prowess with a commendable performance.

With the loss of key wickets, the onus was heavily upon the seasoned shoulders of KL Rahul, the skipper of LSG. And he didn’t disappoint. Rahul scored a 58 off 44 deliveries.Nicholas Pooran’s unbeaten 64 off 41 deliveries kept the hopes alive for guests but weren’t successful in his mission, and RR bowlers clinched the game from the LSG batter’s jab.

Lucknow Super Giants have made an introduction to their IPL stint with a bang by consecutively qualifying for playoffs two times. After the edition’s auction, we can see the squad’s management get a significant revamp for their coaching staff or add some emerging players.

Primarily, LSG have excellent depth and variety in their all-rounder section for IPL 2024. With the optimal mix of experience and emergent players, here is a list of the top four players from the Lucknow Super Giants team.

KL Rahul

KL Rahul has become the face of LSG’s performance thanks to his aggressive batting approach and captaincy. Despite a setback from injury last season, Rahul’s comeback promises to strengthen his team’s batting order. Rahul is in top form after a fantastic performance in the previous World Cup and is ready to continue his momentum in the IPL. With 4163 runs in 118 matches, his ability to anchor the innings and accelerate when necessary makes him an essential asset for the Lucknow Super Giants.

Nicholas Pooran

Nicholas Pooran would put on the shoes of the team’s vice-captain position, replacing the prominent Indian all-rounder, Krunal Pandya. The Trinidadian wicketkeeper batter was recognised for his powerful batting and outstanding wicket-keeping abilities. He established himself as a critical character in the worldwide Twenty20 circuit. In his previous edition, he scored 358 runs, including two half-centuries, at an excellent strike rate of 172.94.

See also: IPL 2024: Best Playing XI for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) Post Mini Auction

Devdutt Padikkal

Devdutt Padikkal, a swanky top-order left-handed batter, made a reshuffle from his previous squad, Rajasthan Royals and with a whooping sum of INR 7.75 Crore, he has entered his third IPL franchise, Lucknow Super Giants. Ever since his 2020 debut, he has made 1520 runs off 57 matches, with an impressive strike of 125.4, including nine half-centuries and one century. It will be interesting to watch the batter from Karnataka team up with his fellow state-team batter and captain, KL Rahul, and how he starts his new IPL team stint with a bang.

Shamar Joseph

Shamar Joseph got off to an impeccable cricketing start following his unforgettable debut performance for the Caribbean team against Australia. He became a global sensation when, despite an injured foot, he took seven wickets in the final innings to lead the West Indies to a surprising eight-run victory at the Gabba in the second Test of a drawn series. As his performance implies, Shamar Joseph is no doubt a viable substitute for Mark Wood to contribute significantly to the LSG’s bowling assault and make his first IPL outing memorable.

In anticipation of the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, West Indies announced their ODI squad on Tuesday (November 21) for the upcoming series against England, signaling a fresh start in the 50-over format. Despite being the victors of the first two World Cup editions, the Caribbean team faced an unprecedented setback by failing to qualify for the recently concluded World Cup in India.

Marking the first-ever absence of West Indies in a World Cup, the two-time champions are determined to rectify their course in the forthcoming series, aiming to lay the groundwork for success in the next World Cup. Chief selector and former opening batsman Desmond Haynes emphasized the team’s commitment to rebuilding and preparing for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2027.

See Also:David Warner Pulls Out of IND vs AUS; Replacement Player Announced

“England’s tour of the West Indies is always filled with excitement and expectation,” remarked Haynes. “We anticipate a hard-fought series, but we have confidence that this squad will excel in our home conditions. Our overarching goal is to construct a robust team with a clear vision, focusing on the rebuilding process for success at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2027,” he added.

West Indies Announced Squad for England Series, Shai Hope Retains Captaincy

Shai Hope will continue to lead the West Indies side in the upcoming ODI series against England, with fast-bowler Alzarri Joseph appointed as his deputy. Notably, Jason Holder and Nicholas Pooran have been omitted from the ODI squad. The West Indies selectors have introduced uncapped allrounders Sherfane Rutherford and Matthew Forde to the squad, along with the inclusion of Shane Dowrich and Kjorn Ottley.

The three-match ODI series is set to kick off on December 3 in Antigua. In a bid to rebound from a disappointing World Cup campaign where they couldn’t defend their title, England, led by Jos Buttler, will be seeking better results. They concluded the tournament in the seventh spot on the league table, managing only three wins in nine games.

West Indies Squad for England: Shai Hope (c), Alzarri Joseph (vc), Alick Athanaze, Yannic Cariah, Keacy Carty, Roston Chase, Shane Dowrich, Matthew Forde, Shimron Hetmyer, Brandon King, Gudakesh Motie, Kjorn Ottley, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd, Oshane Thomas.

ODI Schedule:

• First ODI: December 3, Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua
• Second ODI: December 6, Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua
• Third ODI: December 9, Kensington Oval, Barbados

West Indies are normally known for their big hitting and intentful batting while they also tend to play more dot balls then desired. With Daren Sammy in the backroom, more intent with the bat has been called upon with West Indies looking to go hard through the fifty overs.

The last couple years, although results may show otherwise, have evidently helped show that the West Indies batting line-up has done a decent job. Against Nepal, Shai Hope, criticized for his strike-rate in the past past, breezed to another century, his 15th, and 9th since the 2023 World Cup. Barring him, West Indies have had nine centuries from the other players combined in the same period.

The blue print layed has been rather simple. Attack around Shai Hope while Shai Hope plays through. In the past, Hope’s strike rate raised questions on this method but with Hope improving with his strike rotation, runs have been flowing rather better. Holding one end, West Indies found an accelerator at the other end as Nicholas Pooran started smoking the ball.

Pooran taking bowlers on is a common sight in franchise cricket, but seeing him do the same for West Indies is not as common a sight. His hundred was only the second of his career and the first in the period after the 2019 World Cup. Together though, with two players who are pretty experienced in this line-up, given Pooran was the skipper of the side, West Indies went from 55-3 in 16 overs to 339. In the past, West Indies stocked their line-up with big hitters and all-rounders who would keep going even if wickets went down.

Here, the West Indies have looked to do the same in this tournament and against Nepal a long partnership helped them get to a really good total. While Pooran’s innings was special, Shai Hope’s consistency is turning out to be a really strong aspect in their batting line-up. Since he moved to number four, Hope has consistently been getting starts, holding an end to himself allowing Pooran, Powell and Holder to hammer in the end.

The same happened against Nepal with Pooran delivering and although it was an associate team, the innings did give the West Indies what seems like a pretty decent strategy as they continue to build an innings and a team around Shai Hope.