Rishabh Pant slammed for Nicholas Pooran blunder in Super Over loss to KKR: 'Baffling decision'

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) captain Rishabh Pant is under fire once again for his decision making in his team's loss to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 on Sunday, April 27 in Lucknow.

LSG and KKR were both tied at 155 in 20 overs which helped fans witness the first Super Over of the season. However, it turned out to be a damp squib as LSG could only score a solitary run batting first which was overhauled by KKR on just one delivery. The decision of sending an out-of-form Nicholas Pooran to bat in the Super Over left fans scratching their heads and now experts too are severely criticising Pant's decision.

Pant slammed for Pooran 'blunder'

Pooran, one of the most destructive batters in recent years, has been in terrible form this season. In eight innings so far in IPL 2026, the Caribbean has scored just 82 runs at an average of 10.25 and an even worse strike rate of 81.18. These are among the worst numbers for any specialist batter this season. Against KKR, Pooran scored just 9 off 12 balls but still Pant believed he could do the job in the Super Over.

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However, he was bowled on the very first ball of the Super Over by Sunil Narine. Dale Steyn, the former South Africa fast bowler, said the decision to send an out-of-form batter in Super Over was "almost criminal".

"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,“ Steyn said on JioHotstar. "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.“

"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.

Former West Indies all-rounder Carlos Braithwaite said that Pant and Co thought Pooran batting against Narine could be a fairytale way of him coming back to form but it did not materialise.

"Baffling decision. Someone said if Pooran comes out (to bat) it could be a maiden. Like many years ago... He is really struggling. When he is on form, you want him against anyone but he is not. Maybe there was a fairytale feeling and a bit of fantasy there that this could potentially get him out of the rut. But ultimately common sense prevailed and the bad form continued," Braithwaite said on ESPNCricinfo.