Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra believes Royal Challengers Bengaluru could end their title drought in the Indian Premier League. RCB qualified for the first qualifier after they defeated Lucknow Super Giants by six wickets at Lucknow in the last league stage match of IPL 2025 on Tuesday.
RCB had their backs against the wall as they were chasing a huge target of 228 runs however, their stand-in captain Jitesh Sharma scored 85 runs from 33 balls with the help of eight fours and six sixes.
This is the first time in nine years when RCB have booked their place in the first qualifier after IPL 2016, when they finished as runners-up.
“Royal Challengers Bengaluru, you have reached Qualifier 1 after a long gap. You reached there in 2011, then in 2016, and now after that. It means you will play Qualifier 1 after a long wait of nine years. Interestingly, whenever they have played Qualifier 1 and finished in the top two, they have played the final,” Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.
“They have qualified many times after 2016, but they used to be at No. 3 or No. 4, played the Eliminator, and didn’t reach the final even once. So, year No. 18, a twist is coming in the story. It might be ‘Ee Saala Cup Namde.’ They have booked their appointment with Punjab,” he added.
Meanwhile, the win against LSG was RCB’s seventh consecutive win in IPL 2025 while playing away from home.
“It’s enjoyable talking about the history RCB have created. They have had eight different Player of the Match winners. Jitesh Sharma was the Player of the Match in this match. They have won seven consecutive away games. It’s happened for the first time. No one is able to stop you,” he said.
The renowned commentator noted that RCB chased down the third-highest total in IPL history after Jitesh Sharma’s blistering knock.
“If we talk about the run chase, it was the third biggest run chase in this tournament’s history. If you are doing that, then you are a superstar team. If you look at it from your point of view, you had chased a 200-plus total only twice previously, and you did it here,” Chopra observed.
RCB will take on Punjab Kings in the first qualifier at New Chandigarh on Thursday.
