IPL 2025: Jitesh Sharma Shines As RCB Set Up PBKS Qualifier Clash With Historic Chase - Data Debrief

Half-centuries from Virat Kohli and captain Jitesh Sharma propelled Royal Challengers Bengaluru to the highest chase in their history, as they overcame Lucknow Super Giants in the final regular-season match of the 2025 Indian Premier League. (Highlights)

RCB needed a victory to leapfrog Gujarat Titans in the standings and book a meeting with Punjab Kings in the first qualifier – the winner of which advances straight to the final.

But their hopes of avoiding an arduous route through the playoffs were in major doubt when Lucknow managed a daunting score of 227-3, with the outstanding Rishabh Pant accounting for more than half their runs.

Pant finished unbeaten on 118 from just 61 balls, hitting eight sixes and 11 fours, having only managed 151 runs across his previous 13 matches in the competition this year.

He was joined by Mitchell Marsh (67) in a 152-run stand for the second Super Giants wicket, ensuring poor knocks from Matthew Breetzke (14) and Nicholas Pooran (13) could be overlooked.

And when RCB fell to 90-3, Phil Salt walking for 30 before Will O'Rourke took the wickets of Rajat Patidar (14) and Liam Livingstone (0), it looked to be game over.

Enter Kohli. His 54 off 30, which ended when he sliced Avesh Khan's delivery to Ayush Badoni at long-off, breathed fresh life into the encounter before Jitesh took up the mantle.

The visiting skipper smashed 39 off his first 15 deliveries faced, with Mayank Agarwal (41) helping him put together a 21-run 15th over.

With RCB starting to believe, Jitesh reached his half-century with a six in the 18th over, then slammed four more boundaries in the next. He ultimately finished unbeaten on 85 as they got over the line with eight balls in hand. 

Data Debrief: Landmark for Kohli in historic chase

While Jitesh deserves the plaudits for guiding RCB over the line, it was Kohli who got them believing after a poor start to the chase.

Kohli's half-century saw him pass 600 runs for the campaign, the fifth time he has done so – more than any other batter in IPL history.

He is just the fourth batter to score 600 runs in three consecutive IPL seasons, joining KL Rahul, Chris Gayle and David Warner.

RCB have now conceded 200 or more runs in three straight matches for the first time in their IPL history, also conceding 231 versus Sunrisers Hyderabad on May 21 and 211 versus Chennai Super Kings on May 3. 

They have won two of those matches with this being their highest chase yet, so Punjab Kings – their opponents in the first qualifier on May 29 – had better beware.