Lucknow Super Giants head coach Justin Langer defended the call to back Nicholas Pooran for the Super Over in IPL 2026, despite the batter arriving out of form and the franchise suffering its fifth straight defeat. Pooran ultimately faced Sunil Narine in the tie-breaker, but was dismissed immediately off the first delivery, ending the Super Over on a sharp note as Kolkata Knight Riders seized control of the finish.
The match on Sunday, April 26, saw Pooran walk out for the Super Over with a record that suggested the duel against Narine had been unusually lopsided. In four separate Super Over contests, Pooran had managed only 1 run off 9 balls. In this instance, he went for a powerful hit at a ball that held its line and turned sharply, with the result being a direct crash into the stumps.
Langer’s defence of the Super Over selection
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Langer explained why he and the team still believed Pooran was the right man to confront a bowler who has spent years dominating the shortest format. Langer pointed out that Pooran has faced Narine more than any other player in world cricket, and argued that the matchup history justified the decision even though Pooran’s current form had not yet caught up.
“We knew Sunil Narine was the bowler, and if you look at Nicky’s record, he’s seen Narine more than anyone in world cricket,” Langer said. He added that while Pooran had not found his rhythm, the franchise viewed him as the best available option for that specific scenario. “So, we felt he was still the best. I know he hasn’t hit his form yet, and Nicky will be the first, but we thought if anyone can handle a Super Over, it’s Nicky Pooran. And you back your best players, right? That’s what you do.”
Langer also referenced Narine’s own Super Over impact, underlining how difficult the contest can be even for experienced T20 batters. “So, he has struggled, but if you look at all the numbers, no one plays Narine, the world-class off spinner, better than Nicky, but it didn’t come off unfortunately.”
Narine’s Super Over record is formidable as well, with six wickets taken in 4.2 overs. Before the game, Pooran’s career strike rate against Narine across all T20s stood at 131.08, alongside an average of 49, though he had been dismissed four times in 148 balls. Langer’s comments also drew on an earlier chapter of the rivalry: Pooran had once infamously been involved in a maiden Super Over against Narine in the CPL 12 years ago.
Since then, Pooran has developed into one of T20’s more complete performers. In the IPL last year, he struck at 196.25, but this season his strike rate has fallen to 81.18. When asked whether Pooran was being affected by pressure, Langer acknowledged that confidence has been an issue, and that the batter is working to rebuild it.
“He’s working on it, and it’s amazing that even big players like him, 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,” Langer said. “We all try to, you can look like [you are] confident, but confidence comes from getting your processes right, and we’re working every day with him, and he is working very hard to get it back.”
Langer added that setbacks are part of the realities of the format. “Sometimes this is a tough game of cricket, my gosh, it’s a tough game.”
Black-soil challenge and late over damage
Langer also pointed to conditions as a key part of Lucknow’s problem, admitting that the side failed to adjust to the black-soil wicket. He contrasted it with the previous match’s red-soil surface, which he had described as “exciting” for its pace and bounce—qualities he linked to the WACA pitch in Perth. This time, he felt the pitch behaved slower and lower, with some grip and spin becoming more influential as play progressed.
“It’s frustrating. I said after the last game I thought the wicket was very good on the red soil and it was fast and bouncy. I said it was and it’s really exciting for cricket and we didn’t adapt today to the black soil which was slower and lower and spun a little bit,” Langer said. “So, it’s incredibly frustrating. I feel for the fans. I feel for our supporters. I feel for everyone who follows us. We’re not adapting to the conditions as well as we should be.”
While the coach highlighted positives from the bowling unit—praising Mohsin Khan’s five-wicket haul and commending the spells of Mohammed Shami and Prince Yadav—he criticised the way the end overs unfolded. Langer said Lucknow conceded 43 runs in the final stages on a “pretty low, tougher batting wicket,” calling it a costly collapse at a moment when the team felt in control.
“So that hurts, right? That’s what T20 cricket’s about. You try and negate the really big overs and we had two at the end when we felt like for 18 overs, we were on top of the game. And then they get 40 odd. They get a bit of a sniff,” Langer said.
He also attributed the shift to Kolkata’s ability to stay dangerous with elite spin. “They’ve got two world-class spinners obviously, Varun (Chakaravarthy) and Sunil (Narine). So, they would have felt like they’re in the game, and for a lot of that time we felt like we’re still in the game and just fell behind and got a bit exciting in the end but not exciting enough.”
- Lucknow Super Giants lost their fifth consecutive IPL 2026 match on April 26 against Kolkata Knight Riders.
- Nicholas Pooran was sent to face the Super Over against Sunil Narine, despite a historically tough record in tie-breakers.
- Pooran was dismissed off the first ball of the Super Over after attempting a slog at a sharply turning delivery that struck his stumps.
- Earlier in the match, Pooran had been out for 9 off 12 balls, bowled by Varun Chakaravarthy.
- Langer justified the selection by citing Pooran’s extensive experience facing Narine and argued the best players should be backed in high-pressure moments.
- Langer acknowledged Pooran’s confidence has been low and said the batter is working hard to restore it.
- The coach said Lucknow failed to adapt to a black-soil wicket that played slower, lower, and with more turn than the previous red-soil surface.
- Langer praised Mohsin Khan’s five-wicket haul and the bowling spells by Mohammed Shami and Prince Yadav, but lamented the final overs where they conceded 43 runs on a difficult batting track.
