Pooran blazed five sixes and as many fours, reaching his half-century off just 19 deliveries – the fastest in his newly-named franchise's history – with captain Sam Curran also on song for the side formerly known as Northern Superchargers.
Curran finished unbeaten on 60, off 39 deliveries, sharing an unbroken 93 from only 40 balls with Pooran, as MI London completed a seven-wicket victory, overhauling Sunrisers' 143 all out with 16 deliveries to spare.
"Sam was set and we just tried to stay as positive as we could. It was all about hitting a couple to the boundary and trying to take that partnership all the way through to the end," player of the match Pooran said of his partnership with Curran.
"This year has been a really challenging year for me personally when it comes to batting so I'm just really happy to have the opportunity to continue to do what I love to do."
Earlier on Tuesday (Wednesday AEST), Australia T20 captain Mitch Marsh top-scored for the Sunrisers with 41, which included three fours and three sixes off 27 deliveries, while Tom Alsop made 31, but their efforts were later put in the shade by Pooran and Curran.
Hobart Hurricanes quick Nathan Ellis took 1-22 after he was dismissed for a golden duck to bring Leeds' innings to a close.
A staggering 27 Aussies, including nine men, are part of the new-look season.
Curran finished with figures of 2-27, with Richard Gleeson the pick of the bowlers with 4-25, including Sunrisers captain and former England opener Zak Crawley, who holed out for 13.
England white-ball captain Harry Brook, the tournament's highest-paid player after being snapped up for £465,000 ($A889,000), dispatched Rashid Khan for a towering six but perished next ball for eight after being caught in the deep off the Afghanistan legspinner.
With AAP.
