Lucknow, May 28: 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 Super Giants by six wickets in Match 70 of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 at the Ekana Stadium here on Tuesday.

Jitesh, coming in with RCB looking in trouble with Virat Kohli back in 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 finish in the second position in the points table with 19 points. With this victory, RCB set up a Qualifier 1 clash with Punjab Kings while Gujarat Titans will meet Mumbai Indians in the Eliminator match.

RCB had to mount their biggest run chase on Tuesday after Lucknow Super Giants captain Rishabh Pant hammered a brilliant century, indicating a welcome return to form with a sensational unbeaten 118 that helped them post 227/3 in 20 overs.

But Jitesh Sharma topped that with a mesmerizing effort as he remained unbeaten on 85 off 33 balls laced with eight boundaries and six maximums. In comparison, Mayank Agarwal remained 41 not out of 23 balls, as they scripted history. Pant becoming the second batter after KL Rahul to end on the losing side despite scoring a century.

Chasing 228 for victory, Royal Challengers Bengaluru got off to a superb start as Phil Salt and Virat Kohli raised 61 runs for the first wicket partnership in quick time.

They came 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 in the process as they reached fifty without hitting a six. Salt was the first to get out, caught at cover off Impact Substitute Akash Singh after he had survived an attempt a few balls earlier.

Rajat Patidar, coming in as an Impact Sub, did not last for long and was out for 14 (7 balls) to Will O’Rourke, who claimed Liam Livingstone on the next ball for a first-ball duck as RCB slumped to 90/3.

Kohli was in another zone as he went after the bowling from the start and completed his half-century in 27 balls, hitting 10 boundaries. This was his eighth fifty of the season and sixth in a chase. In the process, Kohli also completed 9000 runs in the history of the IPL. Just when he was looking good for a century, Kohli was out to a tame dismissal, lofting an easy catch to Ayush Badoni off Avesh Khan as RCB slumped to 123/4.

It looked like the RCB innings would fall apart with RCB needing 90 runs in seven overs. But stand-in skipper Jitesh Sharma produced a brilliant display of power-hitting, reaching his half-century in 22 balls as they launched a superb chase and propelled their team to a morale-boosting victory.

With 28 needed off 18 balls, the ball was changed and Jitesh Sharma saw his opportunity and changed the complexion of the match in the space of six balls. He blasted 21 runs off Will O’Rourke, hitting two fours and two big sixes, off successive balls, to pull RCB clear.

The RCB skipper clinched victory with a six off Ayush Badoni, the 107-run partnership between Jitesh Sharma and Mayank Agarwal helping them script history.

Earlier, asked to bat first, Lucknow Super Giants lost debutant Matthew Breetzke (14 off 12, 1x4, 1x6) with 25 runs on the board, Thushara castling him with a beauty.

However, skipper Rishabh Pant showed a welcome return to form in their last match of the season as he joined Mitchell Marsh in raising 142 runs for the second wicket.

Pant looked in his element as he started with a 2,6,2,4,0,4 blitz against Yash Dayal in the fourth over and went from strength to strength from there as LSG reached 55/1 in the power-play.

The wicket-keeper batter continued to flourish with a six and four off successive balls against Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the fifth over, a six followed by two fours in the 10th off Suyash Sharma, and a four and six off successive balls against the same bowler in the 1st as he raced to his half-century in 29 balls.

Marsh, who has been the top scorer for LSG this season, was equally good at the other end as he raced past the 600-run mark for the season, scoring his half-century in 31 balls as they reached the 150-run mark in their partnership in 85 balls.

Desperate to stem the run flow, RCB skipper Jitesh Sharma brought Bhuvneshwar Kumar into the attack, but Marsh treated his return with sixes off successive balls. However, the bowler had the last laugh as he induced an outside edge off a scrambled seam delivery that landed full on the sixth stump. Marsh attempted a loft again but edged it behind, out 67 off 37 balls studded with four fours and five sixes.

Pant continued to thrive and reached his second century in 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 in the third and fourth gear throughout the match. Nicholas Pooran scored 13 off 10 balls and was out in the final over as LSG set up the biggest chase for RCB that Jitesh Sharma helped them ace with ease.

Brief scores: Lucknow Super Giants 226/3 in 20 overs (Rishabh Pant 118 not out, Mitchell Marsh 67; Nuwan Thushara 1-26, Bhuvneshwar Kumar 1-44) lost to Royal Challengers Bengaluru 230/4 in 18.4 overs (Virat Kohli 54, Jitesh Sharma 85 not out, Mayank Agarwal 41 not out; Will O’Rourke 2-74) by six wickets.

(IANS)

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