NEW DELHI: Lucknow Super Giants and Kolkata Knight Riders provided a nail-biting finish in IPL 2026, with the contest ultimately decided in the very first Super Over of the tournament. On Sunday, KKR overcame LSG in a tense tie-break after LSG could manage only a single run in the Super Over, setting Kolkata a simple chase of two. Rinku Singh then struck a boundary off the opening delivery to complete the job and hand KKR the win.
LSG, who batted first in the Super Over, faced sharp criticism for bringing Nicholas Pooran to the crease at such a high-pressure stage. Pooran, who has struggled with the bat throughout the season, was dismissed on the first ball of the Super Over by Sunil Narine, leaving Lucknow with very little room to recover.
Dale Steyn, the former South Africa fast bowler, was particularly outspoken about LSG’s call to send Pooran in. He said the move backfired badly and described it in harsh terms, calling it “criminal”.
Steyn pointed to Pooran’s recent IPL record and questioned the logic of selecting him for the most crucial phase. “Three Super Overs for Nicholas Pooran in the IPL, three ducks. So, yes, absolutely. Would you send someone else? Of course. You’ve got players like Mitch Marsh, Rishabh Pant, and Mukul Choudhary. Given Pooran’s recent form, there were other options,” Steyn said. “He hasn’t scored more than 30 or 40 runs this season, I don’t know the exact numbers, but to send him in first ball in a Super Over to get you runs is almost a criminal decision,” he added in comments shared on JioHotstar.
He further argued that when a side is fighting for results, it needs to back batters who are delivering consistently rather than those enduring a prolonged lean patch. “It could have gone either way, but at this stage of the season, when you’re desperate to win, you don’t send in a batter who hasn’t delivered all season. You go with players who’ve been striking the ball well, guys you trust to clear the ropes, or at least back to do the job. I don’t even think Nicholas Pooran believes he can do it right now; he’s in such a bad run of form,” Steyn said.
Steyn also acknowledged Pooran’s talent, but stressed that errors become harder to forgive in situations like a Super Over. “It’s unfortunate because he’s such a wonderful player. But when you’re trying to revive your season, you can’t afford blunders like that, not at this level,” he added.
Not long after Pooran’s dismissal, Steyn took to social media as well, writing: “Couldn’t hit water if he fell out a boat. Tough times.”
With the loss to KKR on Sunday, Lucknow slipped to the bottom of the points table, collecting only four points from eight matches.
