# Lucknow Super Giants vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru: A Thrilling IPL 2025 Showdown

On a balmy evening in Lucknow, May 27, 2025, the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium buzzed with anticipation for the IPL 2025’s final league match—Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) taking on Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). This wasn’t just another game; it was a high-stakes battle that would decide RCB’s playoff fate. With 22,128 fans roaring under the floodlights, RCB chased down a massive 228 to win by 6 wickets, thanks to a breathtaking display of batting. Let’s dive into the scorecard and relive the drama, heartbreak, and heroics of this epic clash.

## The Match at a Glance
- **Teams**: Lucknow Super Giants vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru
- **Date**: May 27, 2025
- **Venue**: Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow
- **Toss**: RCB won and chose to bowl
- **Result**: RCB won by 6 wickets

- **Player of the Match**: Jitesh Sharma (RCB)
- **Umpires**: Michael Gough, Virender Sharma
- **Third Umpire**: Ulhas Gandhe
- **Match Referee**: Pankaj Dharmani

## LSG’s Innings: Pant’s Fireworks Light Up Lucknow (227/3 in 20 overs)

LSG, sent in to bat, came out swinging. After a season of ups and downs, their captain Rishabh Pant finally found his groove, and boy, did he make it count! Alongside Mitchell Marsh, Pant turned the game into a batting masterclass, posting a daunting 227/3. The Ekana pitch was a batter’s paradise, and LSG made RCB’s bowlers feel the heat.

### The Stars of LSG’s Batting
- **Rishabh Pant (118* off 61 balls, 10 fours, 6 sixes)**: Pant had been struggling all season, scraping just 151 runs in 13 games. But in this do-or-die match, he unleashed a beastly century. From cheeky flicks to towering sixes, Pant was unstoppable. His 152-run stand with Marsh was pure gold, and a flicked six off Romario Shepherd’s full toss in the final over had the crowd on its feet. This was Pant at his vintage best— fearless and flamboyant.


- **Mitchell Marsh (67 off 40 balls, 6 fours, 3 sixes)**: Stepping in as an opener, Marsh was all aggression. He smashed boundaries with ease, giving LSG a flying start alongside debutant Matthew Breetzke. Marsh’s 32 sixes in the season were a testament to his power, and he kept RCB’s bowlers under pressure until he fell in the 19th over.
- **Nicholas Pooran (24 off 15 balls, 2 fours, 1 six)**: Pooran, the six-hitting machine, played a quick cameo. He smashed a six and a couple of fours before Yash Dayal took a stunning low catch at fine leg to end his stay. Still, those runs added some late muscle to LSG’s total.

### RCB’s Bowlers Take a Beating
Without their star pacer Josh Hazlewood, RCB’s bowling looked like a deer in headlights. LSG’s batsmen, especially Pant and Marsh, feasted on loose deliveries, and the bowlers had no answers.

- **Nuwan Thushara (1/40 in 4 overs)**: The Sri Lankan seamer got Breetzke with a peach of a yorker early on, but Pant and Marsh took him apart later. His death overs were messy, leaking runs like a sieve.
- **Romario Shepherd (1/45 in 4 overs)**: Shepherd got Pooran, but Pant made him pay with a monstrous six. His 11.25 economy rate told the story of LSG’s dominance.
- **Yash Dayal (1/50 in 4 overs)**: Dayal’s brilliant catch dismissed Pooran, but his bowling was all over the place. Pant and Marsh targeted him relentlessly.
- **Bhuvneshwar Kumar (0/38 in 4 overs)**: Usually a safe bet, Kumar couldn’t find his rhythm as Pant and Marsh went after him in the middle overs.
- **Suyash Sharma (0/44 in 4 overs)**: The young spinner was out of his depth. Pant read him like a book, smashing him for boundaries and sixes on the flat track.

### Innings Highlights
- **Fast Start**: LSG raced to 50 in 5.4 overs, with Marsh and Breetzke setting the tone.
- **Pant-Marsh Show**: Their 152-run partnership for the second wicket was the heart of LSG’s innings, crushing RCB’s hopes of early wickets.
- **Late Surge**: Pant’s onslaught in the final overs pushed LSG past 200 in 17.5 overs, ending with a massive 227.

## RCB’s Chase: Sharma’s Blitz Steals the Show (228/4 in 19.2 overs)

Chasing 228 was no joke, but RCB came out like they had a point to prove. Jitesh Sharma, standing in as captain, played the knock of his life, backed by Virat Kohli’s fiery fifty and Mayank Agarwal’s cool-headed finish. This was RCB at their chasing best, pulling off their highest-ever IPL run-chase with 4 balls to spare.

### RCB’s Batting Heroes
- **Jitesh Sharma (85* off 33 balls, 7 fours, 5 sixes)**: Sharma was a man possessed. His 22-ball fifty was electric, and his 107*-run stand with Agarwal for the fifth wicket broke records for RCB. From delicate late cuts to a massive six off Ayush Badoni in the 19th over, Sharma’s knock was pure magic. No wonder he walked away with the Player of the Match award.
- **Virat Kohli (56 off 27 balls, 6 fours, 3 sixes)**: Kohli was in T20 beast mode, smashing a 27-ball fifty. He and Phil Salt put on 50 in just 24 balls, giving RCB the perfect start. Kohli’s aggression kept the required rate in check before he fell in the 10th over.
- **Mayank Agarwal (40* off 28 balls, 3 fours, 1 six)**: Agarwal played the perfect foil to Sharma’s fireworks. He rotated the strike, picked his moments, and ensured RCB stayed calm under pressure. His lofted cover drive off O’Rourke was a thing of beauty.
- **Phil Salt (26 off 18 balls, 3 fours, 1 six)**: Salt’s quickfire 26 alongside Kohli gave RCB a blistering powerplay. His exit didn’t slow them down, thanks to the momentum he’d built.

### LSG’s Bowlers Fight but Fall Short
LSG’s bowlers tried everything, but RCB’s batsmen were on a mission. Will O’Rourke had a day to forget, and the spinners couldn’t turn the tide.

- **Will O’Rourke (2/74 in 4 overs)**: O’Rourke’s spell was a nightmare—0/74 is the most expensive in an IPL chase. His 17-run over, including Agarwal’s cover drive, was a game-changer. A fumbled run-out chance on Sharma only added to LSG’s woes.
- **Avesh Khan (1/45 in 4 overs)**: Khan got Salt but bled runs in the powerplay as Kohli and Salt went after him.
- **Digvesh Singh Rathi (1/38 in 4 overs)**: Rathi bowled decently and even tried a cheeky ‘Mankad’ on Sharma, but RCB’s batsmen were too good.
- **Shahbaz Ahmed (0/50 in 3 overs)**: Ahmed got hammered, especially in one 20-run over, as Sharma and Agarwal took him to the cleaners.
- **Ayush Badoni (0/12 in 0.2 overs)**: Badoni’s 19th over was the final nail, with Sharma’s six sealing LSG’s fate.

### Chase Highlights
- **Blazing Powerplay**: RCB smashed 61/0 in 5.4 overs, with Kohli and Salt setting the tone.
- **Kohli’s Fifty**: His 27-ball 56 kept RCB ahead of the asking rate.

- **Sharma-Agarwal Magic**: Their 107*-run stand for the fifth wicket was RCB’s highest in a chase, overtaking a 2016 record by AB de Villiers and Iqbal Abdullah.
- **Final Push**: Sharma’s six off Badoni in the 19th over brought the crowd to its feet as RCB sealed the win.

## The Game-Changing Moments
1. **Pant’s Explosion**: Pant’s 118* was a one-man show, giving LSG a total that seemed unbeatable. His late surge broke RCB’s bowlers.

2. **Kohli-Salt Blitz**: RCB’s 50 in 24 balls set the chase on fire, putting LSG on the back foot early.
3. **O’Rourke’s Meltdown**: O’Rourke’s 0/74, especially his 17-run over, handed RCB the momentum when 72 were needed off 36.
4. **Sharma’s Heroics**: Jitesh Sharma’s 85*, capped by that massive six, was the knockout punch that sent RCB to Qualifier 1.

## Fun Facts from the Scorecard
- **RCB’s Record Chase**: 228/4 was RCB’s highest successful IPL chase, topping their 215 against South Australia in 2011 CLT20.
- **Away Kings**: RCB became the first IPL team to win all 7 away league games in a season.
- **Sharma’s Milestone**: His 85* was the highest by a No. 6 or lower in a successful IPL chase.
- **Pant’s Comeback**: Pant’s 118* was his first ton of the season, a silver lining in LSG’s defeat.
- **LSG’s Struggle**: LSG’s 8-10 record defending totals in 2024-2025 was a far cry from their 12-2 in 2022-2023.

## What They Said
- **Jitesh Sharma (RCB)**: “I just backed myself to hit the ball. Mayank was rock-solid, and with Josh and Tim coming back, we’re ready to surprise everyone in the playoffs!”
- **Mayank Agarwal (RCB)**: “Jitesh was unreal. I just had to keep him company and enjoy the show.”
- **Rishabh Pant (LSG)**: “It felt great to get runs, but we couldn’t defend. We’ll learn and come back stronger.”

## Playoff Picture
RCB’s win locked in a top-two spot, setting up a Qualifier 1 clash with Punjab Kings. LSG, despite Pant’s heroics, missed the playoffs, ending a rollercoaster season. Punjab Kings topped the table, with Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians also in the final four.

## Final Thoughts
This match was IPL at its finest—big runs, bigger hits, and nerves of steel. Pant’s century gave LSG hope, but Sharma’s blitz, Kohli’s fire, and Agarwal’s calm stole the show. RCB’s perfect away record and historic chase make them playoff favorites, while LSG heads home wondering what could’ve been. As the IPL 2025 playoffs kick off, one thing’s clear: RCB’s got the momentum, and they’re ready to roar.