Who won yesterday's ipl clash here's rcb vs lsg match report

Who won yesterday's ipl clash here's rcb vs lsg match report

Stand-in captain Jitesh Sharma arguably played the knock of his life and allowed Royal Challengers Bengaluru to enter Qualifier 1 against Shreyas Iyer-led Punjab Kings by beating Lucknow Super Giants with a six-wicket triumph in the final group stage game of the 18th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Punjab stayed at the top of the standings, while RCB moved to second spot with two more points. RCB have booked date with Punjab Kings in Qualifier 1 on Thursday, while Gujarat Titans, who slipped to third, will face Mumbai Indians in the Eliminator on Friday.

Bengaluru scripted the third-highest successful run chase in tournament history, thanks to an unbeaten 107-run stand between Mayank Agarwal and Jitesh Sharma. This marked only the third instance of RCB chasing down a target in excess of 200, with their six-wicket win also becoming the highest successful chase in Lucknow.

In pursuit of a daunting 229-run target, Virat Kohli and Phil Salt gave RCB a flying start, scoring briskly above the required rate during the powerplay.

The duo opened their accounts with boundaries, putting Lucknow on the back foot with their aggressive approach. However, Akash Maharaj Singh provided the much-needed breakthrough by dismissing Salt for 30 off 19 in the final over of the powerplay.

RCB needed a moment of inspiration, and it came from the stand-in captain and Mayank Agarwal. They turned the game in the touring party's favour by unleashing a flurry of boundaries.

In the 17th over, RCB almost lost Jitesh twice. He dispatched the ball on the first ball into Badoni's hands, but Digvesh had crossed the return crease with his back foot, resulting in a no-ball. On the next delivery, he muscled the ball away into the stands to bring up his maiden fifty in the IPL.

Asked to bat first, LSG posted 227 for three riding on skipper Rishabh Pant's 61-ball unbeaten 118 and Mitchell Marsh's 37-ball 67. The LSG captain reached his century in just 54 balls.

The win helped RCB to enter the playoffs in second place and they will next meet league toppers Punjab Kings in the Qualifier 1 on Thursday, while Gujarat Titans will clash with Mumbai Indians in the Eliminator on Friday.

Brief Scores:

Lucknow Super Giants: 227/3 in 20 overs (Rishabh Pant 118 not out, Micthell Marsh 67).

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: 230/4 in 18.4 overs (Virat Kohli 54, Jitesh Sharma 85 not out, Mayank Agarawal 41 not out).