In a high-octane encounter in Lucknow, stand-in skipper Jitesh Sharma delivered a stunning unbeaten 85 to guide Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to a thrilling six-wicket win over Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), securing a spot in Qualifier 1 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. (Highlights)
Playing XIs
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Philip Salt, Virat Kohli, Mayank Agarawal, Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma(w/c), Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, Nuwan Thushara, Suyash Sharma
Lucknow Super Giants: Mitchell Marsh, Matthew Breetzke, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant(w/c), Ayush Badoni, Abdul Samad, Himmat Singh, Shahbaz Ahmed, Digvesh Singh Rathi, Avesh Khan, William O'Rourke
Royal Challengers Bengaluru Impact Subs: Suyash Sharma
Lucknow Super Giants Impact Subs: Akash Maharaj Singh
Chasing a daunting 228, RCB put on a clinical display with the bat, reaching 230/4 in just 18.4 overs. They will now face table-toppers Punjab Kings in the Qualifier 1 at Mullanpur on Thursday. Both teams finished with 19 points in the league stage, but Punjab edged RCB on net run rate.
RCB’s chase was set in motion by a blistering start from Virat Kohli (54 off 30) and Phil Salt (30 off 19), who raced to 61 in just 5.4 overs. Kohli’s fluent strokeplay, including 10 boundaries, saw him bring up a rapid fifty before he perished trying to clear long-off against Avesh Khan.
At 123 for 4 in the 12th over, RCB were still 103 runs adrift with the required rate climbing to nearly 13. But Jitesh Sharma and Mayank Agarwal (41* off 27) took charge with a breathtaking unbroken 107-run partnership for the fifth wicket. Jitesh, reprieved twice—once on 49 via a no-ball and again on 57 when Rishabh Pant withdrew a run-out appeal—capitalised with clean hitting down the ground and fine leg sweeps.
Jitesh fittingly ended the chase with a hat-trick of sixes off Will O’Rourke in the 18th over, sealing one of RCB’s finest run chases in IPL history.
Earlier, Rishabh Pant produced a vintage knock, hammering an unbeaten 118 off 61 balls to power LSG to 227/3. It was a long-awaited return to form for the LSG captain, who had struggled throughout the season with a strike rate hovering around 107.
Pant found his timing early, dispatching Yash Dayal for 18 runs in the fourth over and never looked back. He shared a massive 152-run partnership with Mitchell Marsh (67 off 37), who also struck form at the right time.
Pant’s century—his second in IPL and first in seven years—came in style off 54 balls, highlighted by a signature lofted cover drive. His celebration, a joyous somersault, captured the emotion of a redemptive innings that combined power with finesse.
Despite LSG’s imposing total, it wasn’t enough on the night as Jitesh and RCB pulled off a sensational comeback, sending a strong message ahead of the playoffs.
