Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) defeated Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) by six wickets to secure second place in the IPL 2025 points table, in the 70th match of the season at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow. The star of the show with the bat for RCB was Jitesh Sharma.
Rishabh Pant, the LSG captain, displayed great sportsmanship during a key moment of the match. On the last ball of the 17th over, bowled by Digvesh Rathi, an attempted Mankad dismissal took place. Digvesh broke the stumps with Jitesh Sharma out of his crease and appealed. However, due to the release point, the giant screen flashed “Not Out”. After a discussion with the umpire, Pant chose to withdraw the appeal, prompting a warm hug from Jitesh — a gesture of mutual respect and spirit of the game.
In the following over, Jitesh unleashed a brutal assault, smashing 20 runs. He hit the second ball from William O’Rourke for four over backward point. On the fourth delivery, he lofted a half-volley over extra cover for another boundary. The next ball, a slower one, was launched straight back for six, followed by another maximum over deep midwicket on the final delivery of the over.
Jitesh sealed the win in style in the 19th over, sweeping the fourth delivery from Ayush Badoni over the deep square leg fence. He remained unbeaten on 85 off just 33 balls, at a blistering strike rate of 257.58, laced with eight fours and six sixes.
