Jitesh's unbeaten 85 outshines Pant's 118 as RCB secures a spot in Qualifier 1
Jitesh's unbeaten 85 outshines Pant's 118 as RCB secures a spot in Qualifier 1
IPL 2025: Skipper Jitesh Sharma hammered a sensational unbeaten 85-run knock, helping Royal Challengers Bengaluru chase the third-highest target to beat Lucknow Super Giants.
RCB secured a spot in Qualifier 1 of IPL 2025 with a thrilling chase, thanks to stand-in captain Jitesh Sharma’s unbeaten 85 off 33 balls. It was the third-highest successful chase in IPL history.
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) had set a massive target of 227/3, powered by Rishabh Pant’s incredible 118 off 61 balls. But RCB chased it down easily, winning by six wickets with eight balls to spare. They will now face Punjab Kings (PBKS) in New Chandigarh on Thursday.
Kohli & Salt Set the Stage
Virat Kohli and Phil Salt gave RCB a flying start, scoring 61 runs in just 5.4 overs. Salt hit a four in the first over, and Kohli followed suit. The pattern continued in the second over, with Salt starting and Kohli finishing with four boundaries. By the fourth over, RCB had already raced to 50 runs without losing a wicket. Akash Singh finally broke through, dismissing Salt, but Kohli kept going strong, reaching his fifty in just 27 balls.
O’Rourke Strikes Back
Will O’Rourke had a tough first over, conceding 22 runs, but he made a strong comeback in the eighth over. Rajat Patidar smashed him for a six, and Kohli followed with a four. However, O’Rourke had the last laugh Patidar edged a shot straight to Abdul Samad, and on the very next ball, Liam Livingstone was trapped lbw. Soon after, Kohli also fell, slicing a shot to long-off.
At this point, RCB still needed 105 runs from 8.4 overs, but Jitesh Sharma had other plans.
Jitesh Takes Control
Jitesh Sharma wasted no time, smashing a boundary off the first ball. But Akash Singh tightened things up in the 13th over, conceding just seven runs, leaving RCB needing 89 from seven overs. Mayank Agarwal had been going strong at 27 off 15 balls, but Jitesh decided it was time to take charge. He hammered O’Rourke for a six and a four in a 17-run over, shifting the momentum.
Game-Changer Over
When Shahbaz Ahmed came in for the 15th over, Jitesh unleashed his power. He smashed two fours and a six, and Agarwal joined the party with a boundary of his own. That explosive 21-run over swung the game in RCB’s favor, reducing the target to just 51 from five overs.
A Lucky Break & A Historic Fifty
Jitesh kept the pressure on, hitting two more fours off Avesh Khan. But then came a dramatic moment he attempted a reverse sweep off Digvesh Rathi and was caught at backward point. The on-field umpires called for a review, but before checking the catch, the TV umpire spotted Rathi’s back foot touching the return crease. That meant a no-ball! Jitesh made the most of the free hit, launching it over deep midwicket to bring up his first-ever IPL fifty in just 22 balls.
More Drama Unfolds
The tension didn’t stop there. As Rathi ran in for the last ball of the over, he suddenly aborted his delivery and broke the stumps at the non-striker’s end. Jitesh was out of his crease, but the TV umpire ruled it not out, stating that Rathi had already completed his "delivery stride" before attempting the run-out. Meanwhile, Rishabh Pant withdrew the appeal, adding another twist to the match.
Finishing in Style
With just 28 runs needed from three overs, Jitesh went all out. He tore into O’Rourke, smashing two fours and two sixes, bringing RCB within touching distance of victory. Then, in the penultimate over, he sealed the deal with a slog-swept six off Ayush Badoni, completing a sensational chase!
Jitesh’s fearless batting turned the game on its head, securing RCB’s spot in Qualifier 1 in spectacular fashion.
RCB’s Unusual Strategy
RCB won the toss and chose to bowl, but their decision to hold back Bhuvneshwar Kumar until the fifth over raised eyebrows. Nuwan Thushara had already found swing early on, even dismissing Matthew Breetzke with a stunning away-swinging full toss in the third over. This was the first time since 2015 that Bhuvneshwar didn’t share the new ball in an IPL match. By the time he finally came on, the swing had faded, limiting his impact.
Pant’s Explosive Knock
Batting at No. 3, Rishabh Pant delivered a breathtaking innings, smashing 11 fours and 8 sixes while showcasing his signature flair one-handed sixes, acrobatic tumbles, and even a frontflip to celebrate his century!
Pant wasted no time, attacking from the start. In the fourth over, he took on Yash Dayal, hammering a six and two fours to race to 19 off 8 balls. By the seventh over, with swing no longer a factor, Bhuvneshwar Kumar tried a short ball Pant pulled it over deep midwicket for six. A misfield from Liam Livingstone gifted him another boundary, and soon after, Pant reached his fifty in 29 balls.
Marsh Joins the Party
Mitchell Marsh, who was on 33 off 23 balls after ten overs, shifted gears. In his next eight balls, he smashed 20 runs, forming a 152-run stand off 78 balls with Pant. Bhuvneshwar Kumar finally broke the partnership in the 16th over, dismissing Marsh caught behind.
Pant’s Century & Iconic Celebration
Pant was unstoppable. He reached his hundred with a classic Pant shot a full and wide delivery from Bhuvneshwar, scythed over extra cover for four. His front leg was airborne, toe pointing toward deep midwicket. As he regained balance, he removed his helmet and gloves and executed his signature front flip. The LSG dugout and home crowd erupted in applause.
Jitesh’s Over Distribution Misstep
Jitesh Sharma made a questionable call in managing the bowlers. Krunal Pandya, who bowled the second over, was underused finishing with 2-0-14-0. Meanwhile, Romario Shepherd struggled, conceding 51 runs in his four overs.
Despite the tactical errors, Jitesh more than made up for it with his heroic batting display, leading RCB to a historic chase.