Jitesh guides RCB into top two of IPL
Rishabh Pant’s brilliant ton goes in vain
Lucknow: RCB’s stand-in captain Jitesh Sharma produced a knock for the ages, hitting 85 in just 33 balls to help RCB script their highest successful chase of 228 in Lucknow. RCB ended their 9-year wait to finish in the top two of the points table and booked their place in Qualifier 1.
Virat Kohli’s quickfire fifty set the tone for the chase, but Jitesh Sharma stole the show with a beyond-believable knock, hitting eight sixes and six boundaries as RCB completed the chase in 18.4 overs. Rishabh Pant’s 118 went in vain as the Lucknow Super Giants’ bowling woes were exposed.
RCB’s highest successful chase before this match had come against Punjab Kings in a 204-run chase at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru back in 2010.
RCB completed only its third successful chase of 200 or more in the IPL. It had chased a 201-run target against Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad last year.
The six-wicket win in its last league-stage match of IPL 2025 helped RCB clinch the second spot in the points table, setting up a Qualifier 1 contest against table-topper Punjab Kings on Thursday in Mullanpur. Earlier, Rishabh Pant produced his best batting of the season in the last league match, scoring a scintillating unbeaten century to propel Lucknow Super Giants to 227/3 in 20 overs.
Pant, who has struggled throughout the season, moving up and down the order but managing only one half-century, found his mojo in the last match and put up a brilliant display of power-hitting as he hammered his second century in IPL history to help LSG set the biggest chase ever at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. The previous highest chase here is 206 and RCB will not have to set a new record for the venue if they have to win this match.
Pant remained unbeaten on 118 off 61 balls while Mitchell Marsh continued with his superb form for the season with 67 off 37 balls as LSG reached a massive total.
RCB, who need to win this match to finish among the top two and secure a place in Qualifier 1, faltered with their team selection, leaving out skipper Rajat Patidar on the bench.
