IPL 2025: LSG need miracle to qualify as high-flying RCB come visiting

Standing on the cusp of elimination, Lucknow Super Giants require a miracle to make the Playoffs. They need to win their last three matches and then hope of finishing among the top four. Their arduous task begins against second-placed Royal Challengers Bangalore in their penultimate home game at the Ekana Stadium on Friday. The home team need a lot of things to come good. Their top foreign batters — Nicholas Pooran, Mitch Marsh, Aiden Markram and David Miller — are off the boil, while skipper Rishabh Pant has just been simmering without success. On the other hand, RCB are having one of their best seasons in 
the IPL. 

Not having won a title in 17 years, RCB seem focussed on breaking that jinx and providing their superstar Virat Kohli with an elusive IPL trophy towards the fag-end of his career.  

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There is no doubt that Kohli will be the star attraction on Friday, with most spectators donning his RCB jersey, just like the venue had seen a plethora of No. 7 jerseys when MS Dhoni had taken Chennai Super Kings across the line in a match here last month. Undoubtedly, Kohli will be keen to see RCB get past the doddering LSG and seal a berth in the Playoffs. 

Interestingly, RCB have won all six away matches so far and would like to complete a clean sweep in Lucknow, which is their last away game. On the contrary, they have won only two of their five home games, with two more scheduled against Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kolkata Knight Riders, before they get into the Playoffs, which luckily for them will be played away in Hyderabad and Kolkata. So, they would want to seal the Playoffs deal in Lucknow itself rather than wait for the last two games in Bangalore. 

Head-to-head, there is not much to separate the two, teams though. RCB hold a minor 3-2 edge over LSG in five matches between the two teams so far. 

This article first appeared on Mid Day