RCB Script History, Become 1st IPL Team To Achieve Stunning Off-Field Record

It has been an impressive IPL 2025 season for Royal Challengers Bengaluru till now. The Rajat Patidar-led side have already booked their spot in the IPL Playoffs and with one match remaining, they remain in the race to finish in the Top 2. With their match against Lucknow Super Giants fast approaching, RCB look to end the group stage on a high. However, before the match, the franchise achieved a massive feat off the field. RCB became the first IPL team ever to take 20 million followers on social media platform Instagram. The franchise earlier overtook Chennai Super Kings to become the most popular team on the platform and this achievement further proved the massive fan base for the side.

Gujarat Titans' back-to-back defeats have created a golden opportunity for third-placed RCB to secure a top-two finish for the first time since 2016. The top two teams play the Qualifier 1 from which the winner enters the final and the losing side advances to Qualifier 2 to take on the winner of the eliminator, played between the third and fourth-place finishers.

The margin for error for RCB, who have 17 points, is rather slim. A win is imperative as either Mumbai Indians (16 points) or Punjab Kings (17 points) are set to overtake GT (18 points) after their clash.

RCB were in red-hot form before the league's 10-day pause due to the India-Pakistan military conflict, winning four matches on the trot. But the break appears to have disrupted their momentum.

Since the restart, Bengaluru have seen a game washed out by rain and then suffered a 42-run defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad. Their last victory came on May 3, and rustiness was evident against SRH.

"We were rusty. The intensity wasn't there initially... In the death (overs), we were bowling more accurately," stand-in captain Jitesh Sharma admitted after that loss.

The return of Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood has lifted spirits in the RCB camp. Hazlewood has been the team's standout performer this season, with 18 wickets in 10 matches, and currently ranks fourth among the tournament's leading wicket-takers.

RCB will also be familiar with conditions, having played their last match at the Ekana Stadium.

(With PTI inputs)

Topics mentioned in this article

Royal Challengers Bengaluru Chennai Super Kings IPL 2025 Cricket