LSG vs RCB: Pant’s Century in Vain as Jitesh and Mayank Script a Stunning Heist
How do you capture the essence of a night this electrifying? When the pressure was suffocating and the odds stacked high, Jitesh Sharma rose like a storm; unshakable, untamed, unforgettable. With RCB on the brink, he ignited a turnaround that defied belief. This wasn’t just a chase, it was a fearless rebellion, a masterstroke of leadership, and a night that will echo in RCB folklore for years to come.
LSG vs RCB Match Summary
Toss: RCB won the toss and opted to bowl first.
LSG playing11: Mitchell Marsh, Matthew Breetzke, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant (c & wk), Ayush Badoni, Abdul Samad, Himmat Singh, Shahbaz Ahmed, Digvesh Singh Rathi, Avesh Khan, William O'Rourke (impact- Akash Maharaj Singh)
RCB Playing11: Philip Salt, Virat Kohli, Mayank Agarawal, Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (c & wk), Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, Nuwan Thushara, Suyash Sharma (Impact- Rajat Patidar)
No Aiden Markram for LSG today, and debutant Matthew Breetzke had a rough start, managing just 14 off 12. But Rishabh Pant had other plans—promoting himself up the order and, alongside Mitchell Marsh, dismantling Jitesh Sharma’s strategies with ease. Pant smashed his first century of the season, and Marsh added a fiery 67 off 37 as LSG posted a daunting 228.
RCB's chase began with a bang—Salt and Kohli racked up 66 in the powerplay. Salt fell, but Kohli powered on with a crucial fifty. Then came a game-changing moment: Will O'Rourke struck twice in two balls, removing Patidar and Livingstone. Kohli soon followed, deceived by a slower one from Avesh Khan. At that point, it seemed Lucknow had sealed it.
But Jitesh Sharma and Mayank Agarwal had other ideas.
They tore into LSG’s bowlers with fearless intent. A no-ball reprieved Jitesh after he was caught at point, and Pant even withdrew a non-striker run-out appeal. From there, the duo took over. Jitesh played a jaw-dropping knock of 85 off 33, while Mayank added a quickfire 41 off 23. They chased down the target with 8 balls to spare and 6 wickets in hand.
O'Rourke’s figures summed up LSG’s night: 2 wickets, but 74 runs conceded—a thriller, but not for Lucknow.