Lucknow, May 28 (IANS) 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 on Tuesday.

Jitesh, coming in with RCB looking in trouble with Virat Kohli back in the dugout at 123/4, scored a scintillating 85 off 33 balls as they reached 230/4 in 18.4 overs to seal a memorable victory that helped them finish 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 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.

Jitesh Sharma remained unbeaten at 85, while Mayank Agarwal remained at 41, not out as they scripted history.

Chasing 228 for victory, the most runs ever chased in this stadium, 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 firing on all cylinders with Phil 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.

Rajat Patidar, coming in as an Impact Sub, did not stay at the crease for long and was out for 14 (7 balls) to Will O’Rourke. Liam Livingstone failed to tickle the scorers as he fell for a first-ball duck, and RCB slumped to 90/3.

Virat Kohli was in another zone as he went after the bowling from the start and completed his half-century in 27 balls, hitting 10 boundaries. This was his eighth fifty of the season and sixth in a chase. In the process, Kohli also completed 9000 runs in the history of the IPL. Just when he was looking good for a century, Kohli was out to a tame dismissal, lofting an easy catch to Ayush Badoni off Avesh Khan.

Virat Kohli and Mayank Agarwal took the score past 100 before Kohli fell, and it looked like the RCB innings would fall apart at 123/4, with RCB needing 90 runs in seven overs. But stand-in skipper Jitesh Sharma produced a brilliant display of power-hitting, reaching his half-century in 22 balls as they launched a superb chase and propelled their team to a morale-boosting victory.

With Agarwal playing an able foil, Jitesh Sharma went for his shots, hitting fours and sixes at will, launching a blitzkrieg that left the LSG players stunned.

With 28 needed off 18 balls, the ball was changed and Jitesh Sharma saw his opportunity and changed the complexion of the match in the space of six balls. He blasted 21 runs off Will O’Rourke, hitting two fours and two big sixes, off successive balls, to pull RCB clear.

The RCB skipper clinched victory with a six off Ayush Badoni, their 107-run partnership between Jitesh Sharma and Mayank Agarwal helping them script the third-biggest successful chase in the history of the IPL and propelled RCB to the second spot in the standings.

Brief 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.

–IANS

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