IPL 2025: Digvesh Rathi Attempts 'Mankad' on Jitesh Sharma, But Rishabh Pant Prevents Dismissal

Games between the Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Lucknow Super Giants are always spicy affairs, and their IPL 2025 encounter at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow on Tuesday (May 27) was no different. 

RCB were chasing 227 to win thanks to a century from Rishabh Pant but they ended up getting there quite comfortably in the end courtesy of a blinder of a knock from Jitesh Sharma. 

However, one controversial moment could have changed the game's trajectory if not for a timely intervention from Pant - and it involved Jitesh being dismissed in a rather controversial manner by Digvesh Rathi. 

Rathi's controversial notebook celebration has earned him scorn, fines and even a one-match suspension but his latest actions will have won him no friends among the RCB fanbase. 

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Rathi Goes For The ‘Mankad’

On the final ball of the 17th over, Rathi was loading up but pulled out at the last minute and ran out non-striker Jitesh. 

The mode of dismissal, referred to as the ‘Mankad’ due to Indian all-rounder Vinoo Mankad pulling it off successfully during a tour of Australia, is controversuial - it is well within the laws but considered a poor way to dismiss a batter. 

However, upon referral by the third umpire, it was given not out because the TV umpire concluded that the bowler was well into his delivery stride and did not stop his bowling release point on time. 

Afterwards, replays showed skipper Pant withdrawing the appeal anyway so it would not have stood even if Rathi had done the dismissal correctly. 

Jitesh Goes Berserk

Handed an unlikely reprieve, Jitesh made the most of it as he slammed 20 runs off the next over from Avesh Khan, all but ending the game. 

He finished off the game with another six in the next over, completing the win and securing not only RCB's highest-ever chase in IPL but also secured them a top 2 finish.