Lucknow Super Giants’ stand-in skipper Nicholas Pooran admitted that his team fell short with the bat after they were beaten by Royal Challengers Bengaluru by five wickets in IPL 2026 on Wednesday night. Pooran, leading LSG in place of the injured Rishabh Pant, said the side have struggled for consistency and that a total close to 175 would likely have made the contest against the defending champions more competitive.
Pooran’s assessment after the loss
Speaking at the post-match presentation, Pooran acknowledged the difficult stretch for his side with the bat. He pointed to the gap between their output and what would have tested RCB, while also stressing that T20 cricket demands sustained execution to turn starts into match-defining innings.
- Pooran said LSG were “below par” and that their batting has been a recurring issue this season.
- He added that a score around 175 would have been competitive against RCB, the defending champions.
- He urged patience, noting that players have been working hard and that results should come with time.
- On his personal form, Pooran said he has been striking the ball well but hasn’t managed to convert starts into big scores.
- He concluded by expressing confidence, saying he has been in similar situations before and believes he can deliver as the campaign continues.
RCB chase the target comfortably
RCB delivered a controlled chase in Bengaluru, reaching 147 with 29 balls to spare to complete a convincing five-wicket win. The run chase was guided by Virat Kohli, who anchored the innings with a composed 49, before quick contributions from Rajat Patidar and Jitesh Sharma helped RCB finish with ease.
- RCB chased LSG’s 146 to win by five wickets.
- The target of 147 was achieved with 29 balls remaining.
- Virat Kohli led the chase with 49 runs.
- Rajat Patidar and Jitesh Sharma added rapid scoring to take the game away from LSG.
LSG’s collapse and key moments
Earlier, LSG were asked to bat first and soon lost their footing as their innings unraveled. They were bowled out for 146, with a promising 40 from Mitchell Marsh not enough to stop the collapse. While LSG did manage wickets, they struggled to build sustained momentum, and their batting spells were repeatedly disrupted by RCB’s ability to keep pressure on.
- LSG were dismissed for 146 after being put in to bat.
- Mitchell Marsh top-scored with 40 in a losing cause.
- Rasikh Salam Dar took four wickets, playing a major role in the collapse.
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood also provided crucial support with key breakthroughs.
Pant’s injury setback
LSG also faced setbacks beyond the scoreboard. Rishabh Pant initially retired hurt briefly during the match, but later fell cheaply, adding to the pressure as RCB maintained a disciplined bowling plan from start to finish.
Table impact and tournament standings
RCB’s all-round performance sealed a comprehensive result and improved their standing in the competition. With the win, they moved to the top of the points table, while LSG slipped further down after failing to recover from their batting problems.
- RCB climbed to first place with eight points from five matches.
- LSG remained in seventh position with four points from four games.
