IPL 2025: Jitesh Sharma Powers RCB To Qualifier 1 With Six-Wicket Win Over LSG
Stand-in skipper Jitesh Sharma hammered a sensational unbeaten 85 and with Virat Kohli contributing 54, Royal Challengers Bengaluru scripted the third-highest run-chase to beat Lucknow Tremendous Giants by six wickets in Match 70 of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 on the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow on Tuesday.
Jitesh, coming in with RCB wanting in hassle with Virat Kohli again within the dugout at 123/4, scored a scintillating maiden IPL half-century as they reached 230/4 in 18.4 overs to seal a memorable victory that helped them end within the second place within the factors desk with 19 factors. With this victory, RCB arrange a Qualifier 1 conflict with Punjab Kings whereas Gujarat Titans will meet Mumbai Indians within the Eliminator match.
RCB needed to mount their greatest run chase on Tuesday after Lucknow Tremendous Giants captain Rishabh Pant hammered a superb century, indicating a welcome return to kind with a sensational unbeaten 118 that helped them submit 227/3 in 20 overs.
However Jitesh Sharma topped that with a mesmerizing effort as he remained unbeaten on 85 off 33 balls laced with eight boundaries and 6 maximums. Compared, Mayank Agarwal remained 41 not out of 23 balls, as they scripted historical past. Pant changing into the second batter after KL Rahul to finish on the shedding facet regardless of scoring a century.
Chasing 228 for victory, Royal Challengers Bengaluru acquired off to an excellent begin as Phil Salt and Virat Kohli raised 61 runs for the primary wicket partnership in fast time.
They got here out all firing on all cylinders with Salt, who struck boundaries off Shahbaz Ahmed and Digvesh Rathi, blasting 30 off 19 balls, hitting six fours within the course of as they reached fifty with out hitting a six. Salt was the primary to get out, caught at cowl off Affect Substitute Akash Singh after he had survived an try a couple of balls earlier.
Rajat Patidar, coming in as an Affect Sub, didn’t final for lengthy and was out for 14 (7 balls) to Will O’Rourke, who claimed Liam Livingstone on the subsequent ball for a first-ball duck as RCB slumped to 90/3.
Kohli was in one other zone as he went after the bowling from the beginning and accomplished his half-century in 27 balls, hitting 10 boundaries. This was his eighth fifty of the season and sixth in a chase. Within the course of, Kohli additionally accomplished 9000 runs within the historical past of the IPL. Simply when he was wanting good for a century, Kohli was out to a tame dismissal, lofting a straightforward catch to Ayush Badoni off Avesh Khan as RCB slumped to 123/4.
It regarded just like the RCB innings would crumble with RCB needing 90 runs in seven overs. However stand-in skipper Jitesh Sharma produced a superb show of power-hitting, reaching his half-century in 22 balls as they launched an excellent chase and propelled their workforce to a morale-boosting victory.
With 28 wanted off 18 balls, the ball was modified and Jitesh Sharma noticed his alternative and adjusted the complexion of the match within the area of six balls. He blasted 21 runs off Will O’Rourke, hitting two fours and two massive sixes, off successive balls, to tug RCB clear.
The RCB skipper clinched victory with a six off Ayush Badoni, the 107-run partnership between Jitesh Sharma and Mayank Agarwal serving to them script historical past.
Earlier, requested to bat first, Lucknow Tremendous Giants misplaced debutant Matthew Breetzke (14 off 12, 1×4, 1×6) with 25 runs on the board, Thushara castling him with a magnificence.
Nonetheless, skipper Rishabh Pant confirmed a welcome return to kind of their final match of the season as he joined Mitchell Marsh in elevating 142 runs for the second wicket.
Pant regarded in his ingredient as he began with a 2,6,2,4,0,4 blitz in opposition to Yash Dayal within the fourth over and went from power to power from there as LSG reached 55/1 within the power-play.
The wicket-keeper batter continued to flourish with a six and 4 off successive balls in opposition to Bhuvneshwar Kumar within the fifth over, a six adopted by two fours within the tenth off Suyash Sharma, and a 4 and 6 off successive balls in opposition to the identical bowler within the 1st as he raced to his half-century in 29 balls.
Marsh, who has been the highest scorer for LSG this season, was equally good on the different finish as he raced previous the 600-run mark for the season, scoring his half-century in 31 balls as they reached the 150-run mark of their partnership in 85 balls.
Determined to stem the run circulation, RCB skipper Jitesh Sharma introduced Bhuvneshwar Kumar into the assault, however Marsh handled his return with sixes off successive balls. Nonetheless, the bowler had the final chuckle as he induced an outdoor edge off a scrambled seam supply that landed full on the sixth stump. Marsh tried a loft once more however edged it behind, out 67 off 37 balls studded with 4 fours and 5 sixes.
Pant continued to thrive and reached his second century within the Indian Premier League (IPL) in seven years as he blasted boundaries at will, reaching the three-figure mark off 54 balls.
Pant hammered 11 boundaries and eight maximums for an unbeaten 118 off 61 balls, batting within the third and fourth gear all through the match. Nicholas Pooran scored 13 off 10 balls and was out within the ultimate over as LSG arrange the most important chase for RCB that Jitesh Sharma helped them ace with ease.
