 "Jitesh Sharma smashed 83 not out off just 33 balls as RCB defeated LSG. Image: Reuters")
Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) stand-in captain Jitesh Sharma executed one of the most thrilling innings from the lower-middle order as he smashed 83 not out off just 33 balls and helped his team beat Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) to seal a top-two spot in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025.
As a result of their six-wicket win on Tuesday, RCB finished second in the IPL 2025 points table and will have at least two chances in the playoffs to reach the final. And the biggest credit for this feat goes to Jitesh Sharma, who played an unbelievable knock from the No.6 spot and upstaged Rishabh Pant’s 54-ball hundred .
Jitesh came into bat at 123/4 after the dismissal of Virat Kohli (54 off 30 balls). RCB at that stage still needed 105 more to win from just 52 balls.
Jitesh Sharma credits Dinesh Karthik after match-winning knock
Jitesh, however, was quick to turn things as he smashed six sixes, eight fours and also survived a run-out appeal at the non-striker’s end from Digvesh Rathi . After his match-winning knock, the wicketkeeper-batter credited “mentor” Dinesh Karthik for helping him with a piece of valuable advice, which allowed him to play an impactful knock in the middle.
“I can’t express my thoughts, I was thinking about just staying in the present,” Jitesh said after the match. “When Virat got out I thought of taking the game deep and that is what my mentor (Dinesh Karthik) tells me that the kind of calibre I have I can finish the game from any situation.”
Impact Shorts
View All“This is a very big franchise and I am enjoying the pressure and when I see these players (like Virat, Krunal and Bhuvi) I feel excited that I am getting to play with these players. We will enjoy this moment and whatever momentum we got in this game, we will take it forward (into the next game).”
The 31-year-old Jitesh added that RCB currently have a very strong “belief system” and this should hold them in good stead in the playoffs.
“Credit goes to Rajat for giving me this responsibility (maintaining the excellent record of winning away from home this season). Hazlewood is fit and the belief system in our team is very strong and whichever players you see, everyone is a match-winner and even if we lose 3-4 wickets, we always had the belief.”
RCB will now take on table-toppers Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the Qualifier 1 on Thursday at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur, Chandigarh.