Nicholas Pooran walked in with MI London wobbling at 51 for 3, needing 93 more runs from 56 balls to overhaul Sunrisers' 143-run target at the Kia Oval, and proceeded to dismantle the bowling attack in a manner that left 20,540 spectators — and the Sunrisers themselves — with no credible response. His unbeaten 58 from 22 deliveries, combined with an equally composed 60 not out from 39 balls by captain Sam Curran, carried MI London home by seven wickets with 16 balls to spare.
Early Trouble for MI London
MI London's chase began on edge. Brydon Carse, operating with sharp seam movement and genuine pace touching 91 mph, took two wickets inside the first ten balls of the innings.
Will Jacks fell for 2, beaten by a delivery that angled in before seaming away, spooning a catch to Benny Howell at cover. Jason Roy, playing on his 36th birthday, lasted only two balls before edging a delivery that seamed away sharply to Mitchell Marsh at slip. MI London were 8 for 2 after ten balls, staring at a chase that had abruptly become treacherous.James Vince joined Sam Curran in the middle and the pair steadied the innings through careful accumulation. Vince was never comfortable against the pace and movement on offer, managing 17 from 18 balls before Nathan Ellis produced a delivery that nipped back sharply to bowl him through the gate, leaving MI London at 51 for 3 after 44 deliveries.
The required run rate had climbed, and the game was firmly in Sunrisers' hands — until Pooran arrived.Pooran and Curran Take Control
From the moment Pooran reached the crease, the match changed character. He required only six balls to post his first boundary, and by the time the fielding restrictions were being tested, he had already struck sixes over long on and midwicket off Benny Howell's variations.
Three boundaries in a single Howell over — a four to fine leg, a six over long on, and another four — announced his intentions emphatically.Curran, meanwhile, was providing the ideal platform. His half-century came from 34 deliveries and included some powerful hitting of his own — a six smoked over straight midwicket off Abrar Ahmed and a full toss launched over wide long on off Matthew Potts were among the highlights. The two left-handers accumulated 37 runs from their first 16 deliveries together, and the partnership never relinquished momentum after that point.
Pooran reached his fifty from only 19 deliveries — the fastest half-century for the MI London franchise across all editions, including their previous incarnation as Oval Invincibles. He completed it with consecutive sixes off Abrar Ahmed, sweeping high over square leg and then slapping a flighted delivery over long on. The 50-run partnership between Pooran and Curran came off just 23 deliveries.
Sunrisers' Bowlers Unable to Stem the Flow
Sunrisers cycled through their options without finding a solution. Carse had been exceptional with his opening burst — finishing with 2 for 18 from 20 balls — but the middle and death overs belonged to MI London.
Dan Lawrence's off-spin produced some anxious moments but Pooran muscled a heave over the boundary off a length delivery during Lawrence's spell. Abrar Ahmed, who had appeared threatening against Vince and Curran early in his stint, was taken apart when Pooran got hold of him in the 15th over, conceding two sixes and finishing with figures of 0 for 30. Ellis returned but conceded a tickled four off his final delivery, and Potts' last five-ball spell yielded a six over wide long on from Curran and the winning boundary from Pooran.The winning hit — a four launched beyond mid off off Potts — was as authoritative as the innings that preceded it. Pooran finished unbeaten on 58 from 22 balls, having struck four fours and five sixes. Curran was 60 not out from 39, with five fours and two sixes to his name.
Match Summary
Sunrisers set MI London a target of 144, which proved insufficient once MI London's lower-order pair took charge. Carse's early double strike had given Sunrisers genuine hope, and the fielding side created pressure through tight lines from Ellis and Potts in the middle overs, but the combination of Curran's measured aggression and Pooran's explosive hitting proved too much. MI London reached their target at 144 for 3 with 16 balls unused, winning by seven wickets.
Pooran was named the Match Hero for his innings of 58 not out from 22 balls. Speaking after the match, he noted that the wicket was slow early and that the pair had targeted the period when the floodlights came on and the ball began to skid through. He also acknowledged the importance of the foundation built by Vince and Curran before his arrival, and credited Curran for being well set at the other end. Sam Curran, reflecting on the result, remarked that Pooran would have considerable fun batting at the Kia Oval.
