Image: Royal Challengers Bengaluru got a place in Qualifier-1 Spot in the IPL 2025 / © India Today
With the last league match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 at Lucknow on May 27, 2025, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) took on Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in a thrilling encounter. LSG, already eliminated, posted a formidable 227/3 in 20 overs, driven by a sensational 118 not out by Rishabh Pant. RCB, needing a win to secure a top-two finish, chased down 230/4 in 18.4 overs, led by Jitesh Sharma’s match-winning 85 not out off 33 balls.
LSG’s batting was a masterclass, scoring 227/3 in 20 overs at 11.35 runs per over, setting a daunting target. Rishabh Pant led the charge with an unbeaten 118 off 61 balls, smashing 11 fours and 8 sixes at a strike rate of 193.44. He reached his fifty in about 30 balls and a century in 55, playing with flair and fearless intent. Pant’s knock included a one-handed six off Suyash Sharma and a tumbling boundary off Bhuvneshwar Kumar, showcasing his signature style. He fell just short of two runs, finishing with 234 runs in the season at a strike rate of 125.80.
Mitchell Marsh supported with 67 off 37 balls, hitting 4 fours and 5 sixes at 181.08, reaching 605 runs in IPL 2025 at an average of 50.41. Their 117-run second-wicket stand over 12 overs at 9.75 runs per over set the tone. The innings started briskly, with 55/1 in the powerplay (overs 1-6) at 9.16 runs per over. Matthew Breetzke, on debut, scored 14 off 12 balls (1 four, 1 six) before being bowled by Nuwan Thushara in the 3rd over. Marsh and Pant then dominated, with Marsh’s fifty coming off 32 balls, including a six off Suyash Sharma.
Pant’s aggressive play shone in the 9th over, where he smashed 16 runs off Suyash, including a six and two fours. The middle overs (7-15) yielded 109 runs at 10.90 runs per over, with the pair exploiting RCB’s bowling. Marsh fell to Bhuvneshwar in the 16th over, caught by Jitesh Sharma, who took 1/46 in 4 overs, economy 11.50. Nicholas Pooran added 13 off 10 balls (1 four) before being caught off Romario Shepherd in the final over, which cost 51 runs in 4 overs, economy 12.75.
Abdul Samad faced one ball, scoring 1. LSG scored 72 runs in the last 5 overs at 14.40 runs per over, with Pant’s 100th run coming via a lofted cover drive off Bhuvneshwar. Thushara was economical, taking 1/26 in 4 overs, economy 6.50, while Yash Dayal leaked 44 runs in 3 overs, economy 14.67. RCB’s fielding was sloppy, with misfields by Virat Kohli and Phil Salt costing runs. LSG hit 15 fours and 14 sixes, with 116 runs from boundaries.
RCB chased 228 in 18.4 overs, finishing at 230/4 at 12.32 runs per over, securing a top-two spot. Jitesh Sharma’s unbeaten 85 off 33 balls, with 8 fours and 5 sixes at a strike rate of 257.58, was the game-changer, earning him Player of the Match. He reached his fifty off 25 balls, surviving a no-ball dismissal and a run-out appeal. Virat Kohli scored 54 off 30 balls (10 fours, strike rate 180.00), and Mayank Agarwal made 41 not out off 23 balls (5 fours, strike rate 178.26). Jitesh and Agarwal’s unbroken 107-run fifth-wicket stand off 46 balls at 13.96 runs per over sealed the chase.
RCB’s powerplay was explosive, scoring 66/1 in 6 overs at 11.00 runs per over. Phil Salt smashed 30 off 19 balls (6 fours, strike rate 157.89) before being caught off Akash Singh in the 6th over. Kohli’s fifty came off 26 balls, but he fell to Avesh Khan in the 12th over, caught at long-off. The 2nd over by Will O’Rourke cost 22 runs, with Kohli hitting 4 fours. Rajat Patidar (14 off 7 balls, 1 four, 1 six) and Liam Livingstone (0 off 1 ball) fell in quick succession to O’Rourke in the 8th over, leaving RCB at 90/3. Jitesh’s arrival shifted momentum, with a 21-run 15th over off Shahbaz Ahmed (4/39 in 3 overs, economy 13.00) featuring two fours and a six.
The middle overs (7-15) produced 111 runs at 11.10 runs per over, with Jitesh’s reverse scoop and lofted drives standing out. O’Rourke struggled, conceding 74 runs in 4 overs, economy 18.50, taking 2 wickets. Avesh Khan took 1/32 in 3 overs, economy 10.67, while Digvesh Rathi gave 36 runs in 4 overs, economy 9.00. LSG’s fielding errors, including fumbles by Ravi Bishnoi and O’Rourke, added pressure. RCB hit 23 fours and 5 sixes, with 122 runs from boundaries.
The 18th over by O’Rourke went for 21 runs, with Jitesh’s back-to-back sixes bringing RCB close. Ayush Badoni’s final over saw Jitesh seal the win with a six over square leg, finishing with 8 balls to spare. Jitesh’s fearless knock, backed by Agarwal’s composure, outshone Pant’s heroics, propelling RCB to Qualifier 1 against Punjab Kings as the side will be looking to finally take away the IPL Title.
As match 70 of IPL 2025 ended, the top four teams emerged after a fiercely competitive season. Punjab Kings (PBKS) topped the table with 19 points and a net run rate (NRR) of 0.372, narrowly ahead of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), also on 19 points but with an NRR of 0.301.
Gujarat Titans (GT) finished third with 18 points and a positive NRR of 0.254. Mumbai Indians (MI) secured the fourth spot with 16 points and the highest NRR of 1.142, showing strong all-round performances.
For the TCNI’s Magic Moment of the Game, the only over that qualifies is Digvesh Rathi’s dramatic 16th over in the IPL 2025 Qualifier 1 clash between RCB and Punjab Kings. With RCB cruising at 189/4, needing just 39 runs off 24 balls to chase 228, this over had it all, big hits, a controversial no-ball, and a near-mankad that had hearts racing. Jitesh Sharma, on 49, kicked things off with a monster six, smashing a length ball over midwicket to bring up his fifty in style, pushing RCB to 195/4. The drama spiked when Rathi bowled a no-ball, his back foot touching the line. Jitesh, attempting a reverse sweep, edged it to point, where Ayush Badoni took a sharp low catch.
RCB’s dugout held its breath, but the no-ball call saved Jitesh, turning the moment into a free hit. He then drove a full ball for a single, keeping the scoreboard ticking. Mayank Agarwal added a single, but the over’s wildest moment came when Rathi clipped the stumps mid-delivery, catching Jitesh out of his crease. Rathi appealed for a potential mankad, and it went to the third umpire. Shockingly, Jitesh looked gone, but the appeal was withdrawn as Pant realized the ball wasn’t released, making it not out.
The player who deserves the TCNI’s Hero of the Day award for his cool-headed brilliance is Mayank Agarwal, whose steady knock guided Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a stunning chase of 240 in Qualifier 2025 of IPL 1 against Punjab Kings on May 17, 2025. Chasing a steep 228, RCB needed someone to hold the innings together, and Mayank Agarwal’s unbeaten 41 off 23 balls (5 fours, 0 sixes, strike rate 178.26) was the perfect anchor in a high-pressure game. RCB’s chase started strong with Phil Salt’s 30 off 19 and Virat Kohli’s 54 off 30, but wickets tumbled, Salt fell at 61, Rajat Patidar (14) and Liam Livingstone (0) at 90, and Kohli at 123.
At 123/4 after 11.2 overs, the game was in the balance. Mayank, coming in at No. 5, played with grit and composure, ensuring RCB stayed on track. His partnership with stand-in captain Jitesh Sharma, who smashed an unbeaten 85 off 33 (8 fours, 6 sixes), was a match-winner, adding an unbroken 102 runs for the fifth wicket. His five boundaries, including a lovely cover drive off Akash Singh, helped the RCB to be in the run chase.