Rishabh Pant stole the spotlight with a powerful act of sportsmanship during a high-intensity IPL 2025 match at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. The Lucknow Super Giants captain withdrew a run-out appeal against Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s stand-in skipper Jitesh Sharma, turning a moment of controversy into one of mutual respect.
In the 17th over of RCB’s chase of 228, LSG spinner Digvesh Singh Rathi stopped in his delivery stride and removed the bails at the non-striker’s end. He caught Jitesh Sharma outside his crease and immediately appealed. The on-field umpires sent the decision upstairs. The replays confirmed what the crowd already suspected – Jitesh was short of his ground.
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Just as the stadium held its breath for the umpire’s “OUT” signal, the big screen instead lit up with “NOT OUT.” Rishabh Pant had withdrawn the appeal. Though entirely within his rights to claim the dismissal, he chose the path of sportsmanship over advantage. The decision caught the crowd off guard. In a powerful moment, Jitesh walked over and embraced Pant.
At the time, Jitesh and Mayank Agarwal were building a crucial partnership that had tilted the game in RCB’s favour. If the appeal had stood, it could have shifted the momentum back to LSG. Pant’s decision not to pursue the run-out reignited the debate surrounding the ‘Mankad’ – a mode of dismissal that remains legal but often draws criticism for going against the spirit of the game.
The situation gained further complexity when the third umpire also reviewed whether Rathi had completed his bowling action before attempting the run-out. The laws of the game require the bowler to act before finishing his delivery stride. While the footage suggested Rathi followed the rules, Pant’s decision to withdraw the appeal made the technicality irrelevant.
From the dugout, Virat Kohli looked visibly frustrated. He gestured to his teammates on the field, clearly unhappy with how the situation had played out and concerned about the impact on RCB’s momentum.
Despite the disruption, RCB quickly regained control. Jitesh, stepping in as captain for the injured Faf du Plessis, played the innings of his life. He smashed 85 off just 33 balls, leading his team to their highest-ever successful run chase in IPL history. RCB chased down 228 with composure and confidence, sealing their spot in the playoffs and ending a nine-year wait to finish in the top two.
With that result, RCB became the first team in IPL history to win all seven of their away matches in a single season. RCB will take on table-toppers Punjab Kings in Qualifier 1 on Thursday in Mullanpur. RCB will now have two shots at reaching the final.