Only once in T20 cricket history has there been a “maiden” Super Over, and it came in the Caribbean Premier League in 2014. Sunil Narine bowled Nicholas Pooran in that sterile spell, with the batter unable to score. In the latest IPL context, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) still found themselves in a familiar crossroad when the Super Over scenario arrived against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
Quick facts
- The only maiden Super Over in T20 history occurred in the CPL in 2014.
- Sunil Narine bowled Nicholas Pooran in that CPL Super Over.
- In the LSG Super Over versus KKR, Nicholas Pooran faced Narine on the first ball and was bowled.
- LSG captain Rishabh Pant faced criticism for the decision to send Pooran in.
- LSG coach Justin Langer said the team backed Pooran despite the matchup history.
- Langer noted Pooran is currently short of confidence but is working to regain it.
- With six league games left and LSG 10th, Lucknow have a seven-day break before the next match.
LSG’s management picked the batting pairing for the tie-break as Nicholas Pooran and Aiden Markram, with Pooran set to take strike first. The call immediately drew attention because Pooran and Narine had met in a Super Over 12 years earlier, and that earlier meeting had gone against the batter. This time, Pooran was dismissed on the opening delivery of the Super Over, leaving LSG to absorb the shock at the start rather than chase momentum.
The selection triggered a wave of online debate, with fans questioning whether Rishabh Pant — as captain — had overlooked the well-known past between the two players. The criticism intensified because the decision appeared to ignore a matchup that had already defined a Super Over moment in Narine’s favour.
Langer explains the selection
When asked why Pooran was chosen to face Narine despite the historical edge the spinner held, Justin Langer pointed to the need to back the batter. The coach’s central message was that the management’s job is to support their best options, even when results haven’t been coming easily. In his view, the presence of prior Super Over context shouldn’t automatically override the confidence the team still places in its players.
Langer reminded reporters that in the Super Over from 12 years ago, Pooran had struggled early, failing to connect cleanly with the first four deliveries. That attempt ended when he was caught at long-off on the fifth ball. He contrasted that earlier dismissal with the new outcome, where Pooran was beaten on the very first delivery.
“Good question. We knew that Sunil Narine had bowled it, and if you look at Nicky’s record, he’s seen Sunil Narine more than anyone in world cricket. So we felt that he was still the best option,” Langer said during the press conference. He added that the decision was rooted in what Pooran had faced most often within the LSG group, arguing that familiarity with the bowler’s skill set matters in the highest-pressure over.
Langer then elaborated on the broader logic behind backing Pooran. “I know he hasn’t hit his form yet, and Nicky will be the first to admit that, but we thought if anyone can handle a Super Over, it’s Nicky Pooran. You back your best players, right? That’s what you do. So he has struggled, but if you look at all the numbers, no one plays Sunil Narine, the world-class off-spinner, better than Nicky. It didn’t come off, unfortunately,” he added.
The coach also described Pooran as the standout T20 performer of the last few years, while conceding that the batter’s confidence is currently not where it needs to be. Langer stressed that confidence in cricket can’t be manufactured on demand; it follows from getting the processes right, and that is what the team is working on day after day.
Pooran’s confidence and the road ahead
“There’s probably no greater T20 player currently in the world over the last few years. It just goes to show he’s human, and you can’t fake confidence. We all try to. You can look confident, but confidence comes from getting your processes right. We’re working every day with him, and he is working very hard to get it back. Sometimes this is a tough game, cricket. My gosh, it’s a tough game,” Langer said.
For reference to that Super Over history, the source recap listed the encounter’s key figures as: 7 balls, 0 runs, and 2 wickets, with the outcome shaped by Pooran’s inability to get going against Narine.
Even with only six league matches remaining and LSG placed 10th in the standings, Langer insisted he isn’t treating the season as over. Lucknow now have a seven-day break to reset, regroup, and prepare for the final stretch. The plan, as he framed it, is to use the downtime to review what’s needed and decide whether any changes should be made before the next game.
“We’re always hopeful. We’re making it hard for ourselves, but you have to be hopeful. I’m very optimistic. We’ll keep being positive. We’ve got seven days off now until our next game, so it’s a chance for us to have a look at things, see if we need to make any changes, or decide where we’re going to go, but you’ve got to stay positive. If you don’t, there is no point being here,” Langer concluded.
