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Sharma trumps Pant as RCB beat LSG to storm into IPL Qualifier 1

football27 May 2025 18:37| ยฉ MWP
By:Neil Manthorp
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Rishabh Pant scored a brilliant century to lead Lucknow Super Giants to an imposing 227-3 but it was insufficient as the Royal Challengers Bengaluru chased down the target with captain Jitesh Sharma spanking an astonishing 85* from just 33 balls to seal a six-wicket victory at 230-4 with eight balls to spare in their IPL match at the Bharat Ratna Ekana stadium in Lucknow on Tuesday.

Sharmaโ€™s first IPL 50 was a memorable one with eight fours and six sixes during a display of remarkable skill, precision and power โ€“ and knowledge โ€“ as he appeared to read most deliveries before they were bowled.

Mayank Agarwalโ€™s 41* from 23 balls (5x4) was made to appear almost irrelevant during an unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 107 which led RCB to a famous victory with their highest successful run chase in the tournament.

LSG captain, Pant, has endured a miserable campaign with just one 50+ score in the first 13 matches but ended the campaign in swashbuckling, flamboyant style finishing unbeaten on 118 from just 61 balls with 11 fours and eight sixes, many as unconventional as they were dramatic and effective.

Powerful Australian opener Mitchell Marsh walloped 67 from 37 balls (4x4, 5x6) during a second-wicket stand of 152 with Pant after Matthew Breetzke (14) was dismissed early building a total which far exceeded the modest average of 165 in the previous five matches played at the venue this season.

But RCB openers Phil Salt (30 from 19 balls) and Virat Kohli (54 from 30) gave the run-chase early impetus before slumping to 123-4 in the 12th over.

But Agarwal and captain Sharma were undeterred and batted with unconfined freedom and confidence to record a memorable win.

A magnanimous Pant endeared himself to many viewers when he declined to accept the umpires โ€˜outโ€™ decision after legspinner Digvesh Rathi ran out Agarwal at the non-strikers end with the batsman out of his ground but clearly not attempting to gain an advantage.

The result left RCB in second place in the final league table and facing Punjab Kings in the Qualifier Match for an automatic place in the final.

The loser of that match will face the winner of first Qualifier between Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians.

LUCKNOW SUPER GIANTS: Mitchell Marsh, Matthew Breetzke, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant (captain/wkt), Ayush Badoni, Abdul Samad, Himmat Singh, Shahbaz Ahmed, Digvesh Singh Rathi, Avesh Khan, William ORourke

ROYAL CHALLENGERS BENGALURU: Philip Salt, Virat Kohli, Mayank Agarawal, Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (captain/wkt), Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, Nuwan Thushara, Suyash Sharma

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