Nicholas Pooran Apologizes After Heated Umpire Clash in CPL Eliminator

Pooran's explosive 90 runs from 53 balls was overshadowed by a LBW call, which he managed to overturn twice using DRS, adding a tense moment to the match.

Written by Anglina Byron

Published 2025-09-17 08:34:23

Updated 2025-09-17 10:56:28

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Nicholas Pooran

Trinidad and Tobago: Despite their dominant performance in the CPL 2025 eliminator against Antigua and Barbuda, the Trinbago Knight Riders are in the headlines for a different reason. Captain Nicholas Pooran's blistering performance was overshadowed by a controversial altercation with the on-field umpire, which took all the attention away from his team's impressive victory.

During Nicholas Pooran’s innings he delivered 90 runs in 53 balls. However, the same innings was marked by a controversial LBW remark by the umpire, as it saw the TKR skipper successfully overturn both dismissals through DRS reviews.

Following the match, Pooran publicly apologised to the umpire for his aggressive behaviour during the heated moments.

"I want to apologize to the umpires for my reaction on the field. The pressure of the eliminator got to me, but that's no excuse for showing dissent," Pooran said during the post-match presentation.

Notably, this isn’t the first time Pooran’s emotions have boiled up during the CPL matches or on the pitch. Just last month during the TKR’s clash against the same falcons showed Pooran’s emotions pouring out on the pitch. He was seen pounding his hands on the pitch twice after he was stumped for just 10 runs.

Experts and analysts have also called out on Pooran’s competitive and aggressive behaviour on pitch stating he has occasionally crossed lines. Pooran has notably faced scrutiny earlier for conduct breaches in international cricket, making his public apology significant for both his personal growth and team leadership.

"Nicholas is an extremely passionate player and leader, but he understands the importance of maintaining respect for match officials," said a TKR team spokesperson. "His willingness to acknowledge his mistakes and apologize shows true leadership."

TKR has now advanced to face the Guyana Amazon Warriors or the Saint Lucia Kings depending on the Tuesday’s qualifier result. The finals of CPL will however take place on 22^nd September 2025 in Guyana.