In a high-pressure game for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, where a win was needed to secure a top-two finish, the match delivered big moments with both bat and ball. One incident in particular – a Mankad appeal and its withdrawal – stood out on a night where RCB chased down a challenging total against Lucknow Super Giants. Batting first at the Ekana Stadium, LSG posted 227/3, led by Rishabh Pant, who brought up his second IPL century his first since 2018 reaching the milestone in 54 balls, the fastest IPL hundred by an LSG player. Mitchell Marsh added 67 off 37, and the pair shared 152 runs in 78 balls. RCB’s reply started with a 61-run opening stand, followed by a steady 54 from Virat Kohli. The key moment came in the 17th over, when Digvesh Rathi Mankaded Jitesh Sharma, only for Pant to withdraw the appeal.
From there, Jitesh Sharma, also leading RCB, stayed at the crease and built a crucial partnership with Mayank Agarwal. Jitesh brought up his first IPL fifty, ending on 85 off 33*, while Mayank supported him with 41 off 27*. The pair added 107 runs off 45 balls to see RCB through.The successful chase of 228 is now RCB’s highest in IPL history, and with it, they locked in a top-two finish, ensuring two chances to reach the IPL final. With the win, RCB locked in a top-two spot and earned two chances to reach the IPL 2025 final.