Jacob Bethell's tough IPL campaign took another blow as the England batter was dismissed for just four runs after a finger injury scare, with Royal Challengers Bengaluru falling to a narrow defeat against bottom-placed Lucknow Super Giants.

The 22-year-old left-hander, whose place in the tournament has sparked debate among England cricket circles, injured his finger while attempting a catch as Mitchell Marsh's blistering century powered Lucknow to 209-3 in a rain-interrupted 19-over innings. Despite leaving the field briefly for treatment, Bethell returned to open the batting but could only manage a scratchy four from five balls before being caught at deep third.

This latest dismissal continues a worrying trend for Bethell, who had previously scored just 14, 20, and five in his earlier IPL outings. Former England captain Sir Alastair Cook has been among those suggesting the youngster would be better served playing county cricket to prepare for England's upcoming Test series against New Zealand.

Mitchell Marsh's 49-ball century was the fastest by a Lucknow player in IPL history, with West Indian Nicholas Pooran chipping in 38 as the supporting act. The rain-affected match saw RCB's target adjusted to 213 in 19 overs, and the defending champions found themselves in immediate trouble when Bethell and the legendary Virat Kohli—dismissed for a two-ball duck—fell inside the first two overs.

A spirited fightback from Tim David, Krunal Pandya, and Romario Shepherd kept RCB in the hunt, requiring 91 from the final six overs. The equation came down to 20 needed from the last over, but Lucknow held their nerve to concede just 10 runs, securing a nine-run victory via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method and snapping their six-match losing streak.

While Lucknow remain at the bottom of the standings, they now level on points with Mumbai Indians. RCB, meanwhile, sit third after missing a golden opportunity to climb to the top of the table.