Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) etched their name into Indian Premier League (IPL) history on Tuesday by becoming the first team to maintain an unbeaten away record in a home-and-away season, capping the feat with a commanding six-wicket triumph over Lucknow Super Giants.
Stand-in captain Jitesh Sharma led from the front with a magnificent unbeaten 85, anchoring RCB’s pursuit of a daunting 228-run target — their highest successful run-chase and the third-largest in tournament history. The chase was completed with eight balls to spare at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium.
RCB’s away campaign concluded with a flawless 7–0 record, surpassing previous benchmarks set by Kolkata Knight Riders and Mumbai Indians in 2012, who each dropped a single away match. The emphatic win also propelled RCB to second place on the points table, behind Punjab Kings only on net run rate.
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Lucknow, led by Rishabh Pant, had earlier posted a formidable 227/3, riding on the skipper’s scintillating 118-run knock. Pant’s explosive innings seemed to place the hosts in a commanding position, but Bengaluru’s openers struck back during the powerplay.
Virat Kohli and Phil Salt laid a brisk foundation, blunting the home side’s bowlers early on. Jitesh Sharma and Mayank Agarwal (41 not out) then took charge, steadily building momentum and guiding RCB to victory, sealing the highest chase in the franchise’s history.
Lucknow’s bowlers struggled to contain the assault, with New Zealand pacer Will O’Rourke bearing the brunt, conceding 74 runs from his four overs — the third-most expensive spell in IPL history, despite picking up two wickets.
RCB’s record win also marked only the second time a 200-plus chase had been achieved at the Lucknow venue. Sunrisers Hyderabad had earlier chased down 206 against the same opponents on 19 May.
With this win, Bengaluru have set up a clash with Punjab Kings in Qualifier 1 on Thursday. The second playoff, an Eliminator between Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians, will be held on Friday.
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