source : BCCI
In a night where Rishabh Pant’s breathtaking 118 not out off 61 balls seemed destined to script Lucknow Super Giants’ triumph, it was Jitesh Sharma’s thunderous unbeaten 85 off 33 that snatched victory for Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Chasing a mammoth 228, RCB mounted the third-highest successful chase in IPL history, clinching the win with eight balls and six wickets to spare, and securing a spot in Qualifier 1 against table-toppers Punjab Kings.
RCB’s chase started brightly with Virat Kohli and Phil Salt racing to 50 inside four overs, but quick wickets pegged them back. Kohli, Patidar, and Livingstone fell in quick succession, leaving RCB with a daunting 105 to get off the last 8.4 overs. However, Jitesh, standing in as captain, turned the tide with his aggressive stroke play, ably supported by Mayank Agarwal’s unbeaten 41. The pair’s 107-run partnership floored Lucknow’s bowlers and tilted the match in RCB’s favor.
Jitesh’s innings was a blend of brute force and nerveless calm, highlighted by his takedown of Will O’Rourke and Digvesh Rathi. A slice of luck came his way when a near-catch off a reverse sweep was nullified by a no-ball, but Jitesh made the most of it, smashing two fours and two sixes in the penultimate over and finishing the chase with a flourish. His knock was his maiden IPL fifty and one of the most audacious under pressure.
Earlier, Pant’s century was a dazzling display of power hitting and improvisation. He smashed 11 fours and 8 sixes, including his trademark one-handed flicks and a celebratory front flip. Mitchell Marsh’s 67 and their 152-run stand seemed to have set up an unassailable total for LSG, but their bowling lacked discipline, especially in the death overs. Krunal Pandya’s underutilization and Romario Shepherd’s 51-run spell hurt their defense.
This pulsating win not only takes RCB to Qualifier 1 but also stamps their authority as a side peaking at the right time. For Lucknow, it’s heartbreak yet again despite Pant’s heroic hundred, a season marred by inconsistency and squandered opportunities. RCB now heads to New Chandigarh with renewed confidence and the belief that their 18-year wait for an IPL trophy might finally be coming to an end.
