Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) produced a breathtaking chase to seal their place in Qualifier 1 of IPL 2025, defeating Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) by six wickets in a high-octane clash on Tuesday.
Chasing a daunting target of 228, Virat Kohli gave RCB a flying start with a blistering 30-ball 54 before Jitesh Sharma (85 off 33 balls) and Mayank Agarwal (41 off 23) stitched together a crucial 107-run partnership for the fifth wicket. The duo’s power-packed effort saw RCB over the line with eight balls to spare.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Earlier, LSG skipper Rishabh Pant had lit up the contest with a sensational unbeaten 118 off 61 balls, smashing 11 fours and 8 sixes. He was well supported by Mitchell Marsh, who hammered 67 off 37 balls. LSG ended with an imposing 227/3, but their bowlers couldn’t defend the total on a flat pitch.
The win propelled RCB to second place on the points table with 19 points (9 wins, 4 losses, 1 no result) and a net run rate of +0.301.
RCB will now face table-toppers Punjab Kings (19 points, NRR +0.372) in Qualifier 1.
Gujarat Titans (18 points, NRR +0.254) finished third and will take on Mumbai Indians (16 points, NRR +1.142) in the Eliminator.
Delhi Capitals narrowly missed the playoffs, ending fifth with 15 points, while LSG’s defeat confirmed their elimination as they finished sixth with 12 points and a NRR of -0.376.
| Position | Team | M | W | L | N/R | Pts | NRR |
| 1 | Punjab Kings | 14 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 19 | +0.372 |
| 2 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 14 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 19 | +0.301 |
| 3 | Gujarat Titans | 14 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 18 | +0.254 |
| 4 | Mumbai Indians | 14 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 16 | +1.142 |
| 5 | Delhi Capitals (E) | 14 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 15 | +0.011 |
| 6 | Sunrisers Hyderabad (E) | 14 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 13 | -0.241 |
| 7 | Lucknow Super Giants (E) | 14 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 12 | -0.376 |
| 8 | Kolkata Knight Riders (E) | 14 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 12 | -0.305 |
| 9 | Rajasthan Royals (E) | 14 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 8 | -0.549 |
| 10 | Chennai Super Kings (E) | 14 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 8 | -0.647 |
Sunrisers Hyderabad, Kolkata Knight Riders, Rajasthan Royals, and Chennai Super Kings rounded out the bottom four, all enduring disappointing seasons.
This edition has seen explosive batting, with high-scoring thrillers becoming the norm. But it was RCB’s timely surge, combined with Kohli’s consistency and Jitesh’s rise, that ensured their march to the playoffs.
With momentum on their side, RCB now look to carry their form into the knockout stage, beginning with a heavyweight clash against Punjab Kings.
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