Lucknow Super Giants batsman Nicholas Pooran during his knock at the Indian Premier League 2023 match against Kolkata Knight Riders, in Kolkata on May 20, 2023.
| Photo Credit: PTI
Lucknow Super Giants defeated Kolkata Knight Riders by one run in their final league game to qualify for the IPL play-offs here on Saturday.
Nicholas Pooran smashed a 30-ball 58 to take Lucknow Super Giants to a competitive 176 for eight after being sent in to bat.
LSG lost wickets at regular intervals to reel at 73 for five in 10.1 overs before Pooran and Ayush Badoni shared 74 runs for the sixth wicket to lay the base for the total.
But then LSG witnessed another batting collapse to be restricted before Krishnappa Gowtham played a short little unbeaten 4-ball 11-run cameo to give LSG bowlers something to defend.
For KKR, Shardul Thakur (2/27), Sunil Narine (2/28) and Vaibhav Arora (2/30) scalped two wickets apiece.
Chasing, Rinku Singh remained unbeaten on 67 off 33 balls while Jason Roy made 28-ball 45 up the order but it was not enough as KKR could manage 175 for seven.
Ravi Bishnoi (2/23) and Yash Thakur (2/31) picked up two wickets each for LSG.
Brief Scores: Lucknow Super Giants: 176 for 8 in 20 overs (Nicholas Pooran 58; Shardul Thakur 2/27, Sunil Narine 2/28, Vaibhav Arora 2/30) vs KKR. PTI SSC Kolkata Knight Riders: 175 for 7 in 20 overs (Rinku Singh 67 not out, Jason Roy 45; Ravi Bishnoi 2/33, Yash Thakur 2/31).