Follow UsRoyal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) stand-in captain Jitesh Sharma smashed a match-winning 85* off 33 deliveries against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on May 27 (Tuesday) to guide his team to their highest ever run-chase in Indian Premier League (IPL) history. More importantly, his knock ensured RCB would finish in he top two, meaning they will have two chances of making it to the IPL 2025 final.
Virat Kohli (54) and Phil Salt (30) got RCB off to a superb start, but they lost a few wickets in quick succession, which added to the pressure. However, an unbeaten 107-run stand between Mayank Agarwal (41*) and Jitesh Sharma (85*) took RCB home in the end. Agarwal lauded Jitesh for his effort.
"The way we started in the power play really gave us the belief in the dugout. When you're chasing a big target like that, getting a good start is crucial, and Phil and Virat have done just that, and not in this game. They did that in the last game as well. So we had to stay calm and calculate our way in between and then finish strong, and like everybody saw, Jitesh did what he did was spectacular," Agarwal said in the post-match press conference.
RCB will now play the Qualifier 1 against Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Mullanpur on May 29 (Thursday). The winner of that match will progress directly to the final, while the losing side will take on the winner of the Eliminator in Qualifier 2 to determine the second IPL 2025 finalist.