Jitesh Sharma's Stellar Performance Leads RCB to Historic IPL Victory
RCB's Remarkable Chase Against Lucknow Super Giants
In a thrilling conclusion to the IPL's 18th season, Royal Challengers Bengaluru's stand-in captain, Jitesh Sharma, expressed disbelief over his match-winning performance. He credited his mentor, Dinesh Karthik, for inspiring him to complete a record-breaking chase against the Lucknow Super Giants.
Facing a daunting target of 228 runs, RCB found themselves struggling at 123/4 after losing their star player, Virat Kohli, in the 12th over. Jitesh stepped in and partnered with Mayank Agarwal to devise a strategy for a successful chase.
Jitesh's explosive batting left fans in awe as he scored an impressive 85 runs off just 33 balls, achieving a strike rate of 257.58, marking his best performance in the IPL. Together with Mayank, he formed an unbeaten partnership of 107 runs, despite battling cramps, and expressed confidence in maintaining their momentum for future matches.
"I can't put my feelings into words! I never imagined I could play such an innings. After Virat bhai's dismissal, my focus was on taking the innings deep. As my mentor Dinesh Karthik says, just take it deep," Jitesh shared during the post-match interview.
Luck seemed to favor Jitesh during the match. In the 17th over, he narrowly avoided being dismissed twice. His first shot was caught by Badoni, but a no-ball saved him. He then hit a six to secure his first fifty in the IPL.
The pivotal moment occurred on the last ball of the over when Jitesh was nearly run out at the non-striker's end. The bails fell just before his bat crossed the crease, but Lucknow's captain, Rishabh Pant, chose to withdraw the appeal.
"I was cramping up since I was carrying the load! Playing alongside Virat bhai, Krunal bhai, and Bhuvi bhai is thrilling. We want to savor this moment but also focus on recovery. We aim to carry this momentum into the next match," he added.
RCB's record-setting chase maintained their perfect away record, securing a top-two finish for the first time since 2016. They have won all seven away matches, making history in the tournament.
As they prepare for their upcoming match against Punjab Kings in Qualifier 1 on Thursday, Jitesh confirmed that Josh Hazlewood is likely to return after recovering from a shoulder issue.
"The credit goes to Rajat. I was tasked with upholding his record. Hazlewood is expected to play in the knockout stages. We have a strong belief in our team and numerous match-winners. Just look at our playing XI," he concluded.