RCB IPL 2025 Update: Latest Match Highlights, Star Performances & Playoff Stakes Explained

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) face a tense chase in Match 70 of IPL 2025 after Rishabh Pant’s breathtaking 118* (61 balls, 11 fours, 8 sixes) rocketed Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) to 227/3 at the Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow. RCB’s stand-in skipper Jitesh Sharma won the toss and bowled, aiming to seal a top-two finish and the coveted extra chance in the playoffs. The visitors drew first blood when Nuwan Thushara uprooted debutant Matthew Breetzke’s off-stump, yet Pant’s early entry flipped momentum. The LSG captain sprinted to 50 off 29 deliveries and, in tandem with the in-form Mitchell Marsh (67 off 37), stitched a 152-run stand that bulldozed an RCB attack missing Josh Hazlewood and Tim David. Key powerplay moments • Pant slog-swept Yash Dayal for a towering leg-side six, signalling intent. • Marsh punished loose Yorkers and slower balls, taking Thushara for 20 in the 16th over. • Pant celebrated his third IPL ton with a crowd-pleasing front-flip, pushing LSG beyond 200 with two overs to spare. Chasing 228, RCB sent Phil Salt and Virat Kohli to the top. Salt’s 30 (19) and Kohli’s rapid 37* (19) propelled them to 76/1 after seven overs, but the required rate remains above 11.5. Rajat Patidar has joined Kohli after Salt miscued Akash Singh, leaving the Bengaluru camp banking on their talisman and aggressive middle order to script the league’s highest successful run-chase this season. What’s at stake • A win guarantees RCB 18 points and second place, setting up a Qualifier 1 clash with Punjab Kings. • Defeat would drop them to third, forcing an Eliminator showdown against Mumbai Indians on 30 May. • LSG, already out of playoff contention, are playing spoilers and showcasing Pant’s resurgence after an injury-curtailed 2024. Pitch & conditions The mixed-soil strip—Odisha black blended with Mumbai red—played true for stroke-making once the new-ball swing faded. Dew is expected to aid RCB’s pursuit, but the 74-metre straight boundary and two-paced bounce demand smart strike rotation alongside power hitting. Trending players to watch • Virat Kohli: needs 64 more to reclaim the Orange Cap from Shubman Gill. • Rishabh Pant: climbed into the top-five run-getters, igniting talk of an India T20 World Cup recall. • Nuwan Thushara: slingy action and early wickets bolster RCB’s pace stocks ahead of the knockouts. Live score snapshot (7 overs) RCB 76/1 (Kohli 37*, Patidar 7*) | Target 228 | Req. RR 11.69 With fans flooding social feeds under #RCB and #Kohli, Bengaluru’s chase is set to dominate late-night viewership. Stay tuned for ball-by-ball drama as RCB hunt a historic win and playoff momentum.