New Delhi, May 28 (IANS) After Jitesh Sharma’s blitzkrieg took Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) into Qualifier 1 of IPL 2025 with a six-wicket win over Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), batting coach Dinesh Karthik reminded the side that there are still bigger things to play for in the competition.

He also urged the team to ensure that the big prize is achieved this year. The astonishing win over LSG in Lucknow also made RCB the first-ever IPL team to win all seven away matches in an IPL season.

“This year we have gotten to the playoffs. Not just playoffs, but second place. Most importantly, I think this room believes there is a bigger goal. And for that we need to stay calm. Any one of you in the playing 12 can do exactly what Jitesh Sharma did.

“It’s about manifesting that you’re the one when you walk into that game day after, and knowing that whoever is doing it on that day, has the backing and belief of us. All I want to say is remember the bigger goal. We have bigger things to play for. And let’s make sure it happens this year,” said Karthik in a message to the team, posted on the franchise’s social media accounts on Wednesday.

Director of Cricket Mo Bobat further reflected on the side’s milestones achieved in their win over LSG and stressed on what the mindset should be moving forward, as RCB will now meet table-toppers Punjab Kings in the Qualifier 1 at Mullanpur on Thursday.

“If we look at some of the things we’ve ticked off, seven out of seven away wins, we should be really proud of that. It’s not been done before. Our highest ever chase, third highest ever IPL chase, some significant achievements there.

“Teams that go on and win things tick off these sorts of milestones, do special things, break records, so well done. We should be proud of all that. And as DK said, we’ve achieved that goal we set ourselves initially, a top two finish. We said that a few weeks back and we’ve done it.

“But it’s important to remember that those achievements, and that particular achievement, are not what we came together for this year. We’ve probably got our most enjoyable, most exciting, most important week ahead, so that mindset is really, really important,” he concluded.

–IANS

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