Rishabh Pant's 118 Not Out Sparks Viral Celebration Despite Lucknow Defeat

Rishabh Pant, who fetched the highest price in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL) this season at ₹27 crore and was also entrusted with captaincy, faced intense criticism for failing to meet expectations. However, in the final league match of the IPL held on Tuesday at his home ground, Ekana Stadium, the Lucknow batter silenced critics with a sensational century against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).

Pant smashed his century in just 54 balls, displaying his full range of strokes to the delight of fans. Though he had struggled with form throughout the season, he rediscovered his rhythm in this match. Upon reaching the milestone, Pant placed his bat and helmet aside and celebrated with an acrobatic flip in the air, reminiscent of a gymnast, expressing his joy in a unique style.

Before this innings, Pant had failed to demonstrate his batting prowess in the ongoing IPL season. With this century in the final league match, he signaled a return to form and reminded everyone of his vintage self. His aggressive play, featuring an array of sixes and boundaries, lit up the stadium. He remained unbeaten with 118 runs off 61 balls.

Despite Pant’s spectacular century, Lucknow could not secure a win. RCB clinched victory by six wickets. Batting first, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) posted a massive total of 227 for 3 in 20 overs, thanks to Pant’s unbeaten century (118 off 61 balls, including 11 fours and 8 sixes) and Mitchell Marsh’s blistering knock of 67 off 37 balls (4 fours, 5 sixes).

Chasing the daunting target, RCB achieved victory with eight balls to spare. Jitesh Sharma's explosive batting at the end sealed a dramatic win for Bengaluru. Jitesh scored an unbeaten 85 off just 33 balls, propelling his team to second place on the points table. As a result, Bengaluru will face Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Qualifier 1 on May 29. The winner of that match will proceed directly to the final.