LSG Vs RCB: RCB Beat Lucknow, Jitesh Steals the Spotlight

LSG vs RCB: In the final league match held at Lucknow’s Ekana Stadium, Lucknow scored 227 runs for the loss of three wickets, thanks to Rishabh Pant’s century. In response, RCB chased down the target in 18.4 overs, losing four wickets, and won the match by six wickets.

LSG Vs RCB: Jitesh’s Heroics Knock Out Lucknow

Lucknow: Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) secured a six-wicket victory over Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) thanks to Virat Kohli’s half-century and a century partnership between Jitesh Sharma and Mayank Agarwal. This win took RCB straight into Qualifier 1, where they will face Punjab Kings on May 29 at Mullanpur.

In the final league match of IPL 2025 held at Lucknow’s Ekana Stadium, LSG posted a strong total of 227 runs for the loss of three wickets, largely due to Rishabh Pant’s brilliant century. RCB chased down the target comfortably in 18.4 overs, losing just four wickets, marking the third-highest successful run chase in IPL history and the biggest chase ever for RCB.

On the bowling front for Lucknow, William O’Rourke took two wickets, while Akash Singh and Avesh Khan claimed one wicket each. Despite their efforts, they could not prevent RCB from sealing the match.

This match marked the end of the IPL 2025 league stage, and RCB finished in the top two for the first time since 2016. The team has been in the top two only three times in IPL history — in 2011, 2016, and now 2025. With this victory, RCB climbed to second place on the points table, accumulating 19 points and a net run rate of 0.301. LSG ended the season seventh, with 12 points from 14 matches, winning six and losing eight.

RCB will now take on Punjab Kings in Qualifier 1. Punjab had earlier recorded a significant win against Mumbai Indians. Meanwhile, the Eliminator between Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Titans is scheduled for May 30.

The RCB chase started strong with an opening partnership of 61 runs between Phil Salt and Virat Kohli. However, Akash Singh broke the partnership by catching Salt off Digvijay’s bowling. Salt scored 30 runs from 19 balls before departing. Next up, Rajat Patidar managed just 14 runs before being dismissed by William O’Rourke in the eighth over. On the very next ball, Livingstone was also sent back to the pavilion by O’Rourke.

At 90 runs for three wickets, RCB needed a solid partnership. Virat Kohli stood firm at one end, supported by Mayank Agarwal. Together, they added 33 runs for the fourth wicket. Kohli reached his eighth half-century of the season in just 27 balls, finishing with 54 runs from 30 deliveries, including 10 boundaries. He was eventually dismissed by Avesh Khan.

After Kohli’s departure, Mayank Agarwal was joined by Jitesh Sharma. The pair formed an unbroken partnership of 107 runs in 45 balls to secure the win for RCB. Stand-in captain Jitesh Sharma also scored his first IPL half-century, making an unbeaten 85 runs off 33 balls, while Mayank remained not out on 41 runs from 23 balls.

Earlier, LSG’s innings got off to a shaky start. They lost their first wicket at 25 runs when Matthew Bretzke was bowled by Nuwan Thushara after scoring 14. However, captain Rishabh Pant steadied the innings with a massive 152-run partnership for the second wicket alongside Mitchell Marsh. Marsh contributed 67 runs in 37 balls, hitting four boundaries and five sixes. Pant made a strong comeback in form, scoring his second IPL century off 54 balls, with 11 fours and eight sixes, finishing unbeaten on 118 runs from 61 deliveries.

In the end, Nicholas Pooran remained not out on 13 runs, while Abdul Samad scored 1 run. For RCB, Nuwan Thushara, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Romario Shepherd each took one wicket.

This win not only marked a successful finish to the league stage for RCB but also raised hopes for a strong playoff run, with their key players performing impressively under pressure.

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Sumit Kumar

Sumit Kumar is a dedicated sports writer at InsightIndia.in, bringing the latest updates, match highlights, and in-depth analysis from the world of sports. With a sharp eye for detail and a true love for the game, Sumit keeps readers engaged and informed on everything from cricket to international tournaments.