Captain Jitesh Sharma’s unbeaten 85 (33b, 8×4, 6×6) hit Lucknow Super Giants like a thunderbolt as it succumbed to a six-wicket loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the final league fixture of IPL 2025 on the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow on Tuesday (May 27, 2025).
His knock was like a tent collapsing on unsuspecting campers. If Super Giants thought they may get away with 227, they had been in for a shock.
Jitesh’s unbroken 107-run fifth-wicket stand with Mayank Agarwal (41 n.o., 23b, 5×4) scruffed RCB and hurled it to the second spot in the factors desk. It additionally helped RCB turn into the primary staff in IPL historical past to win all its seven away video games.
Notably, Jitesh deposited a slower ball from Will O’Rourke over long-off for a six earlier than he lumbered down the observe and flat-batted a size ball off left-arm spinner Shahbaz Ahmed for an additional cowl six. He introduced up his fifty with a midwicket six off leg-spinner Digvesh Rathi. He additionally sealed the victory with a sweep for a six over square-leg off Ayush Badoni’s off-spin.
Earlier, Virat Kohli, with an 87 per cent management over his strokes, arrange the chase with a 30-ball 54 whereas Phil Salt made 30 off 19 deliveries.
For LSG, captain Rishabh Pant’s unbeaten 118 (61b, 11×4, 8×6) was the spotlight.
He added 152 runs off 77 balls for the second-wicket stand with opener Mitchell Marsh (67, 37b, 4×4, 5×6). The absolute, unhesitant, lucid cold-fury of their partnership dispirited RCB.
Pant, who walked in at No. 3 (a shock), had spoken about enjoying “fearless cricket” on the toss. He might have felt claustrophobic and boxed in, with runs arduous to come back by. True to his phrases, he spared no effort for his turnaround.
His innings was PowerPlay, field workplace. It had every part Pant. There was the reaching-out-a-little, leaning-over-a-touch, flipping-the-wrists, diving-at-a-wide, a one-handed six, and a no-look scoop. The somersault after reaching his ton was the cherry on the highest. He was liberated from his lean patch. With Marsh for firm, it was attack-or-be-damned. They hit it arduous, hit it usually, and it was must-watch cricket.
But the night time belonged to Jitesh and RCB.
SCOREBOARD
LUCKNOW SUPER GIANTS
Mitchell Marsh c Jitesh b Bhuvneshwar 67 (37b, 4×4, 5×6), Matthew Breetzke b Thushara 14 (12b, 1×4, 1×6), Rishabh Pant (not out) 118 (61b, 11×4, 8×6), Nicholas Pooran c Dayal b Shepherd 13 (10b, 1×4), Abdul Samad (not out) 1 (1b); Extras (lb-7, nb-1, w-6): 14; Total (for 3 wkts. in 20 overs): 227.
FALL OF WICKETS
1-25 (Breetzke, 2.4 overs), 2-177 (Marsh, 15.3), 3-226 (Pooran, 19.5).
RCB BOWLING
Thushara 4-0-26-1, Krunal 2-0-14-0, Dayal 3-0-44-0, Bhuvneshwar 4-0-46-1, Suyash 3-0-39-0, Shepherd 4-0-51-1.
ROYAL CHALLENGERS
Phil Salt c Digvesh b Akash 30 (19b, 6×4), Virat Kohli c Badoni b Avesh 54 (30b, 10×4), Rajat Patidar (Impact Player for Suyash) c Samad b O’Rourke 14 (7b, 1×4, 1×6), Liam Livingstone lbw b O’Rourke 0 (1b), Mayank Agarwal (not out) 41 (23b, 5×4), Jitesh Sharma (not out) 85 (33b, 8×4, 6×6); Extras (nb-1, w-5): 6; Total (for 4 wkts. in 18.4 overs): 230.
FALL OF WICKETS
1-61 (Salt, 5.4), 2-90 (Patidar, 7.5), 3-90 (Livingstone, 7.6), 4-123 (Kohli, 11.2).
SUPER GIANTS BOWLING
Akash (Impact Player for Marsh) 4-0-40-1, O’Rourke 4-0-74-2, Digvesh 4-0-36-0, Shahbaz 3-0-39-0, Avesh 3-0-32-1, Badoni 0.4-0-9-0.
Toss: RCB; PoM: Jitesh.
RCB received by six wickets with eight balls to spare.
Published – May 28, 2025 12:05 am IST
