A short exchange between Krunal Pandya and Nicholas Pooran during the IPL 2026 match between Lucknow Super Giants and Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Ekana Stadium created a buzz among fans, with many assuming there was tension between the two players.
The moment took place during LSG’s innings when Nicholas Pooran came out to bat. Krunal Pandya, representing RCB, welcomed the left-hander with a sharp bouncer straight away. On the next ball, Nicholas Pooran took a single and cameras captured the pair exchanging a few words as the batter reached the non-striker’s end. While the interaction looked intense for a brief moment, it did not turn into a bigger confrontation during the game.
https://x.com/Hariomhudda8949/status/2052492617456525767
The discussion around the incident grew stronger after a video surfaced online two days later. In the clip, Nicholas Pooran and Krunal Pandya were seen chatting after the match. Nicholas Pooran appeared animated during the conversation and was later seen playfully grabbing Krunal Pandya by the collar. Justin Langer, the head coach of LSG, also briefly joined them.
https://x.com/deepu_drops/status/2052695983507841447
Despite rumours spreading on social media about a possible disagreement, the atmosphere quickly turned cheerful. Both the cricketers were smiling and sharing a light-hearted moment soon after.
Krunal Pandya later addressed the speculation through Instagram. Sharing a photo with Nicholas Pooran, he wrote, “No lafda (no trouble), only love. Congrats to my bro @nicholaspooran on completing 100 IPL games. Proud of you, brother, many more to come. Btw, how was the bouncer?”
https://x.com/deepu_drops/status/2052695983507841447
Nicholas Pooran also responded in the comments section, shutting down all the rumours of a fallout. “Only love here, guys. One of my best mates,” he commented.
Here is the post:
https://www.instagram.com/p/DYEdvfNinf4/
The strong bond between the two players is not new. Krunal Pandya and Nicholas Pooran were teammates at LSG during the 2023 and 2024 IPL seasons and are known to share a close friendship off the field as well.
