Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) batsman Nicholas Pooran smashed the fastest half-century of the current season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in just 17 balls against the Sunrisers Hyderabad in Dubai, on Thursday. Coming in at the score of 31-2, Pooran started playing his shots from the word go.
After KXIP lost its skipper KL Rahul, they were in deep trouble as they still needed 144 runs off 80 balls. Both he and Glenn Maxwell played Rashid smartly and saved their hitting for the part-timers Abhishek Sharma and Abdul Samad.
KXIP needed something special from these two to get even close to the target. Pooran got that chance in 18-year-old leg-spinner Abdul Samad’s over. Pooran smashed 4 sixes and a four to hit 28 runs in that over and thereby completing his fifty off just 17 balls.
Although he couldn’t get support from the other KXIP batsmen, and the whole team were bundled out for 132, his innings of 77 runs off just 32 balls was the highlight of the second innings and for some, it even overshadowed the innings of Jonny Bairstow, who scored 97 runs off 55 balls.
KXIP skipper KL Rahul also applauded Pooran’s innings saying he was phenomenal and said that last year he showed the glimpses of the player he can be and this year he has improved a lot and wants to be the match-winner for his side.
Twitter too couldn’t hold back itself in appreciating the southpaw’s innings, so here are some of the reactions from cricketers and experts on his innings:
Glenn Maxwell Run-Out, Owing to Priyam Garg’s Direct Hit
Another great moment of the match came just a couple of overs after Pooran’s blitzkrieg. It was the last ball of Natarajan's over, Maxwell drove it towards the covers and ran for a single. Priyam Garg standing in that position gathered the ball quickly and threw it towards the non-striker’s end with only one stump visible and it perfectly landed on the stumps resulting in breaking the partnership between Pooran and Maxwell.
According to the former Indian cricketer, Yuvraj Singh, this was the turning point of the game. After seeing some fabulous catches and ground fielding, everyone was waiting for a direct-hit run-out and Garg provided that, here are some of the reactions:
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