IPL 2023: Explosive batting trio of Mayers, Stoinis & Pooran powering on the LSG juggernaut

IPL 2023: Explosive batting trio of Kyle Mayers, Marcus Stoinis & Nicholas Pooran powering on the LSG juggernaut this season.

Marcus Stoinis (Images: ©IPL/Twitter)

Lucknow Super Giants have one of the strongest batting orders in this IPL. LSG’s explosive batting trio of Nicholas Pooran, Marcus Stoinis and Kyle Mayers are the prime reason why their side have a great shot at reaching the playoffs for the second season running. The trio have the capability to take the game away from the opposition in a matter of few balls and overs. They have created a great impact on the team’s chances scoring the most vital runs for them and at a great pace.

Even though the said trio failed in LSG’s latest game against Chennai Super Kings, such has been their domination that even the destructive Quinton de Kock couldn’t find a place in the playing XI, despite being among the top two run-getters for the LSG in the last season along with his skipper KL Rahul.

Krunal Pandya is yet to make a significant contribution with the bat but still LSG sit comfortably in the top half of the points table only because of the consistent performance of the aforementioned trio of Stoinis, Pooran and Mayers.

Read More: IPL 2023, PBKS vs LSG: Stoinis, Mayers put on a spectacular display as LSG beat Punjab

Kyle Mayers, the highest run-getter for LSG this season

Kyle Mayers, the West Indies all-rounder has been a standout performer for the LSG this season. Playing in his first IPL season, Mayers has grabbed his chances with both hands by proving to be a difference at the top of the order. He has scored 4 half-centuries coming at the top of the order in 9 innings and has accumulated 297 runs at a strike rate of close to 159 which is simply phenomenal. He has outscored the normally prolific KL Rahul this season and his sheer impact has made the team management overlook the dashing opener de Kock in favour of the West Indian.

In his first IPL game, Mayers scored a scintillating 73 against Delhi Capitals with his half-century coming off only 28 balls. This knock gave LSG a 50-run win and he followed this with yet another cracking 53 in the very next game away from home at Chennai. This time he took only 21 balls to reach his half-century. Though LSG couldn’t conquer Super Kings, Mayers’ knock gave the team confidence to continue with the left-hander, and the Barbados born player didn’t disappoint as he made 2 more fifties in the league.

LSG might have looked at Mayers as a possible replacement for Quinton to start with, in case the South African were to miss few games. But the 30-old-year has visibly sealed his place at the top courtesy of some game changing knocks. He has eased the pressure on KL Rahul and rest of the batting order to follow.

Read More: IPL 2023, Mid-Season Review: Balanced GT aim for back-to-back trophies; CSK, RR, LSG fighting hard

Nicholas Pooran scored 19-ball 62 against RCB (Images: ©IPL/Twitter)

Marcus Stoinis and Nicholas Pooran sparkle in their role

Marcus Stonis is fondly called as the Hulk in the Big Bash League circles. This is due to the amount of power he garners while striking a ball and this season, the Australian all-rounder has been the most valuable player for LSG. In 9 games, Stoinis has scored 229 runs at an impeccable strike rate of just under 145 coming in the middle-order scoring two half-centuries. He has also picked 5 wickets and in the 5 matches that LSG won, Stoinis bagged the player of the match award on 2 occasions.

Nicholas Pooran has not been far behind this season, and it is easily the left-hander’s best IPL ever. Pooran is just 4 runs short of Stoinis after 9 innings, but his strike rate is simply stunning. He has scored 225 runs at a SR of 190.67 which is breathtaking.

In fact, the duo has been responsible for taking the team past the winning line on 2 occasions this season courtesy of their partnership. First, in a daunting chase against RCB at Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru while the other at a batting paradise in Mohali against PBKS.

In the match against Punjab, Stoinis and Pooran put on 66 runs for the 4th wicket in just 29 balls and this was the finishing touch that the team required to pile on a massive 257 runs in their 20 overs. Stoinis made a 40-ball 72 while Pooran scored a quickfire 45 off 19 balls.

But the other game will be remembered for a long time by this duo as it came in a run chase. Tottering at 23/3 in 4 overs in a run-chase of 214, Pooran and Stoinis forged a stunning assault of sorts. In between them they scored 12 sixes as the combo added 76 runs off only 40 balls. Stoinis got out after making an astounding 30-ball 65 but it was Pooran who was instrumental in taking the team past the finish line. Pooran smashed a 15-ball 50, the fastest this season and ended up with 62 off only 19 balls. It gave the team a one wicket win in the end.

All three aforementioned players have contributed one way or the other in this competition and their performances have only yielded victories so far for the Super Giants. There is a difference in the approach of Stoinis and Pooran with the bat. While Stoinis takes time initially, Pooran goes bang bang from ball 1 but it has proved to be highly beneficial for the team.

A 15 or 16 ball half-century is a necessity nowadays but it is totally rare when it comes to the IPL. But this season, there have been quite a few impactful knocks like Glenn Maxwell’s 36-ball 76 and Suryakumar Yadav’s 23-ball 57.

It is also refreshing to see how the middle-order of LSG has taken attack as their only option to combat in all phases of the innings. We have seen this type of impactful knocks played by the likes of Surya Kumar Yadav, AB de Villiers, Glenn Maxwell and Kieron Pollard in the past. But 3 of them in one team makes the Super Giants a super strong batting unit this IPL.

Read More: IPL 2023, RCB vs LSG: Lucknow pull off incredible victory over RCB in a thrilling finish