Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) [India], March 24 : Left-arm quick Mitchell Starc continued to be Nicholas Pooran's worst nightmare in the T20 format.
During the Delhi Capitals clash against Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL 2025, Starc ended Pooran's onslaught with a searing reverse-swinging delivery.
The Super Giants were reigning supreme in Visakhapatnam, courtesy relentless assault from Mitchell Marsh and Pooran. After the Australian's exploits ended, Pooran took the brunt of scoring runs on his shoulder.
He unleashed hell on Tristan Stubbs with four towering maximums on the trot, garnering 28 runs from the 13th over. Pooran appeared poised to stay till the end and continue his on-field business with a belligerent approach.
Pooran was toying with spinners and came up against Starc in the 15th over. Starc sent the stumps flying with a touch of reverse swing on the penultimate delivery of the over. Pooran tried to slog it away as the ball bent back in late and launched two stumps into the air.
This was the fourth time in six innings that Starc dismissed Pooran in the T20s. Notably, this was the second time Starc removed Pooran in just four balls in the IPL.
During Poorans' 75-run blitzkrieg in 30 balls, he hammered 60 runs from 18 balls. While against the pacers, he was relatively silent and picked up just 15 runs from 12 deliveries.
Delhi Capitals put LSG to bat on a placid surface after the toss. Aiden Markram fell early, but Marsh and Pooran took the mantle of making the most out of the conditions.
They tore through DC's bowling attack, which made them tilt at the windmills. They picked their targets, bashed them away according to their will and raised an 87-run stand for the second wicket.
When LSG looked destined to cross the 220-run mark, Mukesh Kumar brought an end to Marsh's entertaining 72(36) by luring him to hole it straight to Stubbs, stationed at long-on.
Pooran jumped on the bandwagon and joined Marsh in the dressing room. From standing in a position to cross 220, LSG stared at the prospect of folding before the 200-run mark.
David Miller, known for his reputation for finishing the innings, opened his arms at the right time. On the last two deliveries of the final over, Miller muscled the ball into the stands twice to lift LSG to 209/8.