Bengaluru chases down 228 runs in a storm and wins the qualifier, Pant's century goes in vain

Bengaluru chases down 228 runs in a storm and wins the qualifier, Pant's century goes in vain

Batting 12 times in 13 matches, only 151 runs. Strike rate 107.09. Such were the statistics of Rishabh Pant before playing the last match of this year's IPL. The Indian wicketkeeper of Lucknow Super Giants seemed to have saved everything for the last match. Pant, who was struggling to find himself after losing form in his last match of the season in Lucknow, scored an unbeaten 118 runs in 61 balls.

Lucknow, relying on Pant's innings, which was studded with 8 sixes, scored 227 runs for 3 wickets. Even this run was not enough for Lucknow. The Pantras lost to an incredible innings of Jitesh Sharma. Jitesh was unbeaten on 85 runs from 33 balls. And after winning the last match of the first phase, Royal Challengers Bangalore got the opportunity to play the first qualifier. Where their rivals are Punjab Kings. On the other hand, Lucknow, who were eliminated before the playoffs, finished this year's IPL in seventh place. The team has 12 points in 14 matches. Bengaluru, who came second in the first innings, won by chasing the highest total in their history and the third highest in IPL history. When Jitesh came to the wicket, Bengaluru was 123 for 4 in 11.2 overs. From there, the 31-year-old Jitesh, along with Mayank Agarwal, put on a 107-run partnership off 52 balls to take the team to victory. Jitesh, who scored 85 runs off 33 balls, hit 6 sixes. Standing at 49 runs, Jitesh, who survived thanks to Digwesh Rathi's no-ball, hit a six on the next ball to reach fifty. Jitesh hit Ayush Badoni for a six on the fourth ball of the 19th over to give the team victory.

Jitesh's partner Agarwal was unbeaten on 41 runs off 23 balls. Earlier, opener Virat Kohli scored 54 runs off 30 balls. His partner Phil Salt scored 30 runs off 19 balls in the opening partnership of 61 runs.

Earlier, Lucknow had to bat after losing the toss. Pant came out to bat after Matthew Britz was dismissed in the third over, leaving the team for 25 runs. The Pant storm began with the second ball of the fourth over. He slugged Yash Dayal with his fourth ball and got the first of 8 sixes. Later in that over, Pant hit two fours and scored 18 runs.

After reaching his fifty off 29 balls, Pant reached his century in 54 balls. In the 19th over, Pant celebrated his third century in his recognized T20 career by hitting Bhuvneshwar Kumar for a four with an inverted dig.

After adding 152 runs for the second wicket with Mitchell Marsh, Pant later added 49 runs with Nicholas Pooran for the third wicket. Pooran contributed 13 runs to the partnership. Earlier, Australian opener Marsh scored 67 runs off 37 balls with 5 sixes. In the end, everything for Pant was in vain due to the storm of victory.