Royal Challengers Bengaluru Clinch 6-Wicket Victory Over Lucknow Super Giants to Secure Qualifier 1 Spot in IPL 2025
Lucknow, May 28 (Sports Desk)
In a thrilling encounter at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) defeated Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) by 6 wickets in Match 70 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. Chasing a formidable target of 228, RCB, powered by stand-in captain Jitesh Sharma’s explosive unbeaten 85 off 33 balls and Virat Kohli’s rapid 54 off 30, completed the chase in 18.4 overs, securing a top-two finish with 19 points from 14 matches. Despite a century from LSG captain Rishabh Pant, RCB’s aggressive batting sealed their place in Qualifier 1 against Punjab Kings.
Match Summary
- Toss: LSG won the toss and elected to bat first.
- Lucknow Super Giants: 227/3 (20 overs)
- Royal Challengers Bengaluru: 228/4 (18.4 overs)
- Result: RCB won by 6 wickets (8 balls remaining)
- Player of the Match: Jitesh Sharma (85* off 33 balls)
- Venue: Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow
- Points: RCB 19 (14 matches, NRR +0.435), LSG 12 (14 matches, NRR -0.205)
Lucknow Super Giants Innings
Opting to bat, LSG posted a commanding 227/3, driven by captain Rishabh Pant’s unbeaten 118 off 61 balls, including a century in just 54 balls. Mitchell Marsh contributed a fiery 67 off 37, and the duo forged a 152-run second-wicket partnership. Matthew Breetzke scored 16 off 12 before falling early, while Abdul Samad added a quick 1 off 1. LSG’s innings gained momentum in the powerplay, with Marsh and Pant capitalizing on RCB’s seamers, and Pant’s aggressive strokeplay in the death overs pushed the total to a daunting level.
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Key Performances (LSG Batting):
- Rishabh Pant: 118* (61 balls, 12×4, 5×6, SR: 193.44)
- Mitchell Marsh: 67 (37 balls, 8×4, 2×6, SR: 181.08)
- Matthew Breetzke: 16 (12 balls, 2×4, SR: 133.33)
RCB Bowling: RCB’s bowlers struggled to contain LSG’s onslaught. Josh Hazlewood was economical but wicketless (0/36 in 4 overs), while Yash Dayal (0/48) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (0/50) were expensive. Suyash Sharma took 1/42, dismissing Breetzke, but LSG’s batters dominated. Krunal Pandya and Blessing Muzarabani also failed to make breakthroughs, conceding 38 and 30 runs, respectively.
Fall of Wickets (LSG):
- 36/1 (Breetzke, 4.2 overs)
- 188/2 (Marsh, 16.4 overs)
- 226/3 (Pooran, 19.5 overs)
Royal Challengers Bengaluru Innings
RCB’s chase began explosively, with openers Virat Kohli and Phil Salt racing to 50 in just 4 overs. Kohli’s 54 off 30 (6×4, 1×6) set the tone before he fell to Avesh Khan. Salt scored 23 off 14, but Will O’Rourke’s double strike in the eighth over (removing Salt and Rajat Patidar) caused a brief wobble. Stand-in captain Jitesh Sharma then took charge, smashing an unbeaten 85 off 33 (7×4, 5×6), including a 107-run fifth-wicket stand with Mayank Agarwal (41 off 23). Jitesh’s onslaught, particularly against O’Rourke (4-0-74-2), ensured RCB chased down 228 with 8 balls to spare.
Key Performances (RCB Batting):
- Jitesh Sharma: 85* (33 balls, 7×4, 5×6, SR: 257.58)
- Virat Kohli: 54 (30 balls, 6×4, 1×6, SR: 180.00)
- Mayank Agarwal: 41 (23 balls, 4×4, 1×6, SR: 178.26)
- Phil Salt: 23 (14 balls, 3×4, SR: 164.29)
LSG Bowling: LSG’s bowling unit faltered under RCB’s aggression. Will O’Rourke took 2/74 but was inconsistent, while Avesh Khan (1/40) dismissed Kohli. Digvesh Rathi (1/45) removed Patidar, but the spinners, including Shahbaz Ahmed (0/32) and Ravi Bishnoi (0/35), couldn’t stem the flow of runs. Rishabh Pant’s tactical decisions, including delaying Bishnoi’s overs, were criticized on X for failing to curb RCB’s momentum.
