Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya chose to bowl first at the toss, and it paid off handsomely as they swiftly removed Devdutt Padikkal and Marcus Stoinis during the powerplay. Deepak Hooda’s departure in the 10th over without contributing much left Lucknow Super Giants at 69/3.
However, Nicholas Pooran and KL Rahul then forged a formidable partnership, adding 101 runs. Pooran particularly shone, reaching his fifty in just 19 deliveries, with the latter sending Arjun back to the dugout after hitting two consecutive sixes.
Arjun Tendulkar faced a moment of concern during the 15th over, appearing to struggle with an injury as he prepared to bowl. After receiving assistance from the physio, he resumed but was seen limping.
Despite his efforts, Pooran capitalized, smashing two massive sixes towards deep square leg off the first two deliveries in the 15th over, marking his splendid half-century.
However, Arjun’s subsequent departure from the field after the second ball raised questions about his earlier injury, possibly aggravated during his attempted over.
— AK DS (@AKDS580838) May 17, 2024
Meanwhile, Naman Dhir took over the bowling duties but faced a tough time, conceding two fours and a maximum. Twitter erupted with praise for Pooran’s stellar performance while speculating on the sudden exit of Arjun Tendulkar from the field.
