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Lucknow Super Giants' (LSG) stand-in captain Nicholas Pooran admitted that his side fell short with the bat after suffering a five-wicket defeat to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in IPL 2026 on Wednesday night.
Pooran, who was captaining the side in the absence of injured Rishabh Pant, admitted to being more consistent. Pooran reflected on LSG's batting struggles this season, noting that a total around 175 would have been competitive in the match against the defending champions, RCB. "Tough season for us, we were below par, 175 would have been competitive, we have been struggling with the bat... It's T20 cricket, tough game, tough to stay consistent, guys have been working hard, it's a matter of time, have to stay patient and take the opportunity when it comes," Pooran said during the post-match presentation. Despite the loss, Pooran expressed confidence in his own form, stating that he was striking the ball well but had not been able to convert starts into big scores. The LSG stand-in skipper emphasised the need for patience and to find momentum in the remainder of their IPL 2026 campaign. "I'm feeling really good, stroking the ball nicely, but it hasn't gone my way. I've been in this situation before and I am confident I can do it," he added. The defending champions, RCB, registered a dominant five-wicket victory over LSG in IPL 2026 in Bengaluru, chasing down a modest target of 147 with 29 balls to spare. Virat Kohli anchored the chase with a fluent 49, while Rajat Patidar and Jitesh Sharma provided quick-fire contributions to take RCB comfortably home and push them to the top of the points table. Earlier, LSG endured a dramatic batting collapse after being asked to bat first and were bowled out for 146. Despite a fighting 40 from Mitchell Marsh, regular wickets and a lack of momentum derailed their innings, with Rasikh Salam Dar starring with a four-wicket haul and Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood providing key support. LSG also suffered setbacks, including Rishabh Pant retiring hurt briefly and later falling cheaply, as RCB's disciplined bowling attack kept them under pressure throughout. RCB's all-round performance ensured a convincing win and strengthened their position in the tournament standings. The defending champions have climbed to the top spot with eight points to their name in five matches. LSG, on the other hand, are at the seventh place with four points in as many matches. (ANI)
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