I practise a lot...everything comes naturally: LSG's Nicholas Pooran on smashing long sixes

Pooran played an explosive inning of 87 runs from just 36 balls which was laced with eight maximums and seven boundaries. The left-hand batter scored these runs at a staggering strike rate of 241.67 where he remained unbeaten till the end in the first innings.

"I have been asked this question a million times (how does he hit sixes so frequently), I practise a lot and after a time everything comes naturally. You understand what is needed in a game, you know what the bowlers are going to bowl and you work according to that. They (Marsh and Markram) have been brilliant for us right through the tournament. Both of them have been batting so well in partnerships, they have been gritty against the new ball and doing what the team exactly needs from them. What is my role? Get a start, try to capitalise and win the matchups," Nicholas Pooran said in the post-match presentation.

Lucknow Super Giants' batters Nicholas Pooran and Mitchell Marsh's magnificent fifties outsmarted the hosts Kolkata Knight Riders by four runs in the last over thriller at their home, Eden Gardens on Tuesday.

LSG has climbed to the fourth spot with three wins and two losses, giving them six points. KKR has sunk to sixth with two wins, three losses and four points to their name.

Coming to the match, LSG was put to bat first by KKR, who won the toss and opted to field. After a 99-run stand between Aiden Markram (47 in 28 balls, with four boundaries and two sixes) and Mitchell Marsh and later a 71-run stand between Pooran and Marsh (81 in 48 balls, with six fours and five sixes), Pooran went berserk in the final few overs, compiling 87* in 36 balls, taking his side to 238/3 in 20 overs.

Harshit Rana proved expensive with figures 2/51. Spencer Johnson was taken to the cleaners, giving away 46 runs in three overs. Russell took 2/32 in his two overs. The spin duo of Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy did not work as they went wicketless with 0/38 in three overs and 0/31 in four overs respectively.

During the run-chase of 239 runs, KKR got off to a fine start and 54-run stand between Sunil Narine (30 in 13 balls, with four boundaries and two sixes) and skipper Rahane and a 71-run stand between Rahane and Venkatesh Iyer (45 in 28 balls, with six fours and a six) kept KKR afloat. However, they sunk to 185/7 within no time and despite the best efforts of Rinku Singh (38* in 15 balls, with six fours and two sixes) and Harshit Rana (10* in nine balls, with two fours), KKR fell short by four runs and they could make 234/7 in 20 overs. Akash Deep (2/55) and Shardul Thakur (2/52) were top wicket-takers for LSG. Pooran was given the 'Player of the Match' honour.