How Did Jitesh Sharma's 85-Run Blitz Lead RCB to Victory Over LSG?

Lucknow, May 28 (NationPress) Stand-in captain Jitesh Sharma delivered an outstanding performance with an unbeaten 85 runs, alongside Virat Kohli's contribution of 54 runs, as Royal Challengers Bengaluru achieved the third-highest run-chase in history, defeating Lucknow Super Giants by six wickets in Match 70 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 at the Ekana Stadium on Tuesday.

When RCB found itself in a tough spot at 123/4, with Kohli already dismissed, Jitesh stepped up and played a remarkable innings of 85 off 33 balls, guiding the team to 230/4 in just 18.4 overs and securing a memorable win that positioned them second on the points table with 19 points. This victory set up a Qualifier 1 encounter against Punjab Kings, while Gujarat Titans will face Mumbai Indians in the Eliminator.

RCB's chase was monumental, especially after Rishabh Pant showcased his skills with a stunning century, scoring an unbeaten 118 runs to lead LSG to 227/3 in their innings.

In this thrilling chase, Mayank Agarwal also contributed with an unbeaten 41 runs, marking a historic moment for RCB.

Chasing a target of 228 runs, the highest ever pursued at this stadium, RCB made a solid start with Phil Salt and Virat Kohli forming a partnership of 61 runs for the first wicket.

They aggressively approached the innings, with Phil Salt scoring 30 runs off 19 balls, hitting six boundaries before being caught out. Rajat Patidar and Liam Livingstone fell quickly, leaving RCB at 90/3.

Kohli, however, was in exceptional form, reaching his half-century in just 27 balls with ten boundaries, marking his eighth fifty this season and crossing 9000 runs in IPL history. Unfortunately, he was dismissed while looking set for a century.

Following Kohli's exit, RCB needed 90 runs in seven overs. Jitesh Sharma then unleashed a spectacular display of power hitting, securing his half-century in just 22 balls as he led his team toward victory.

With 28 runs needed off 18 balls, a ball change invigorated Jitesh, who scored 21 runs off Will O’Rourke in a single over, including two four and two sixes, significantly shifting the momentum.

Jitesh secured the win with a six off Ayush Badoni, and the partnership between Jitesh Sharma and Mayank Agarwal of 107 runs created a new milestone for RCB, achieving the third-largest successful chase in IPL history.

Final scores:

Lucknow Super Giants: 227/3 in 20 overs (Rishabh Pant 118 not out, Mitchell Marsh 67; Nuwan Thushara 1-26, Bhuvneshwar Kumar 1-44) lost to Royal Challengers Bengaluru: 230/4 in 18.4 overs (Virat Kohli 54, Jitesh Sharma 85 not out, Mayank Agarwal 41 not out; Will O’Rourke 2-74) by six wickets.