Lucknow: Stand-in skipper Jitesh Sharma hammered a sensational unbeaten 85 and with Virat Kohli contributing 54, Royal Challengers Bengaluru scripted the third-highest run-chase to beat Lucknow Super Giants by six wickets in Match 70 of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 at the Ekana Stadium here.
Jitesh, coming in with RCB looking in trouble with Virat Kohli back in the dugout at 123/4, scored a scintillating maiden IPL half-century as they reached 230/4 in 18.4 overs to seal a memorable victory that helped them finish in the second position in the points table with 19 points. With this victory, RCB set up a Qualifier 1 clash with Punjab Kings while Gujarat Titans will meet Mumbai Indians in the Eliminator match.
RCB had to mount their biggest run chase on Tuesday after Lucknow Super Giants captain Rishabh Pant hammered a brilliant century, indicating a welcome return to form with a sensational unbeaten 118 that helped them post 227/3 in 20 overs.
But Jitesh Sharma topped that with a mesmerizing effort as he remained unbeaten on 85 off 33 balls laced with eight boundaries and six maximums. In comparison, Mayank Agarwal remained 41 not out of 23 balls, as they scripted history. Pant became the second batter after KL Rahul to end on the losing side despite scoring a century.
Chasing 228 for victory, Royal Challengers Bengaluru got off to a superb start as Phil Salt and Virat Kohli raised 61 runs for the first wicket partnership in quick time.
They came out all firing on all cylinders with Salt, who struck boundaries off Shahbaz Ahmed and Digvesh Rathi, blasting 30 off 19 balls, hitting six fours in the process as they reached fifty without hitting a six. Salt was the first to get out, caught at cover off Impact Substitute Akash Singh after he had survived an attempt a few balls earlier.
BCCI to honor Operation Sindoor heroes at IPL finalNew Delhi: The final of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, scheduled to be held on June 3 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, will be dedicated to the Indian Armed Forces as a tribute to Operation Sindoor — a recent military operation carried out in response to the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, that claimed the lives of 26 civilians. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and IPL Governing Council have decided to use the platform of the tournament's finale to honor the armed forces and pay homage to the victims of the tragic incident. “We have invited all three service chiefs of the Indian Armed Forces to attend the IPL final on June 3 in Ahmedabad. The theme is to honor our heroes of Operation Sindoor,” said IPL Chairman Arun Dhumal. |
