IPL 2025: RCB win toss, opt to bowl against LSG; Hazlewood, David miss out for Benglauru

LUCKNOW: Royal Challengers Bengaluru stand-in captain Jitesh Sharma won the toss and opted to bowl against Lucknow Super Giants in the final group stage game of the 18th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) at the Ekana Stadium on Tuesday.

The clash poses a straightforward equation for RCB and the remaining three qualified playoff sides. A victory in Lucknow will confirm Bengaluru’s top-two finish and a Qualifier 1 contest against Punjab Kings on Thursday. At the same time, a defeat will send them straight to the Eliminator clash against the Mumbai Indians on Friday.

On the other hand, Lucknow’s season has been a season of two halves. The Super Giants were firm favourites for a top-four finish with five victories in eight fixtures. However, with one win in their last five encounters, their hopes of making the playoffs ended.

For Bengaluru, Lungi Ngidi, Tim David and Josh Hazlewood are missing the clash, while Lucknow has included Digvesh Rathi and Matthew Breetzke in the playing XI.

After winning the toss, Royal Challengers Bengaluru stand-in captain Jitesh Sharma revealed they are looking to chase and said, “We will field first. It looks like a good wicket; we’ll fancy chasing. Rajat Patidar is our impact player. Looking to win and make it to the Top 2, that’s always an advantage for the team. Tim David misses out, Liam (Livingstone) comes in, and Thushara does too.”

Lucknow Super Giants skipper Rishabh Pant said during the time of the toss, “We don’t mind batting or bowling first, we did show a glimpse of the potential in our last game, but every match is a learning curve, till the last ball is bowled, we will give our 100 per cent. Few changes – Breetzke is in and Digvesh Rathi are back in.”

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Playing XI): Philip Salt, Virat Kohli, Mayank Agarwal, Rajat Patidar, Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma(w/c), Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, Nuwan Thushara.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru Impact Subs: Suyash Sharma, Rasikh Salam, Manoj Bhandage, Tim Seifert, Swapnil Singh.

Lucknow Super Giants (Playing XI): Mitchell Marsh, Matthew Breetzke, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant(w/c), Ayush Badoni, Abdul Samad, Himmat Singh, Shahbaz Ahmed, Digvesh Singh Rathi, Avesh Khan, William O’Rourke

Lucknow Super Giants Impact Subs – Akash Maharaj Singh, Prince Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshin Kulkarni, Yuvraj Chaudhary. (ANI)