Royal Challengers Bengaluru registered an 18-run victory over Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium in IPL 2026, a result that again put Jasprit Bumrah’s oddly wicketless spell under the microscope. With Ravichandran Ashwin stepping in to offer a different lens on Bumrah’s value, the match also showcased how RCB’s batting big-hitting and late control shaped the contest. MI finished on 222/5 in reply after posting 240/4, but the chase never quite gathered enough momentum.
At a glance
- Match: RCB vs MI, IPL 2026, Wankhede Stadium
- Result: RCB won by 18 runs
- RCB score: 240/4
- MI score: 222/5
- MI highlight: Sherfane Rutherford 71* (unbeaten)
- Bumrah wicketless again: latest figures included 0 wickets
- Ashwin defended Bumrah’s impact, stressing overs, yorkers, and economy over wickets alone
Bumrah once more went without a wicket as MI’s innings unfolded, and it extended a frustrating phase for the MI pace spearhead. MI’s total of 240/4 was followed by a chase that fell short, with Rutherford’s unbeaten 71 doing plenty of work but not enough to pull the equation in Mumbai’s favour. The outing underlined how even when Bumrah delivers the right areas, the wicket column hasn’t been cooperating.
Bumrah’s rare drought
His recent IPL bowling numbers show how unusual the stretch has been. In Ahmedabad against PBKS, he returned 0/40 from four overs; at the Wankhede versus KKR he managed 0/35 in four; in Delhi against DC he produced 0/21 in four; in Guwahati versus RR he finished with 0/32 in three; and at the Wankhede again, against RCB, he recorded 0/35 in four. Across the latest sample, the theme is consistent—wickets have dried up even when he’s been repeatedly asked to deliver in pressure phases.
Overall, Bumrah has now gone 122 balls without picking up a wicket, the longest wicketless run of his IPL career. For a bowler known for striking at crucial moments, the length of that drought has naturally invited scrutiny. Yet the match narrative didn’t stay trapped in the wicket tally, especially after Ashwin offered a broader explanation of what T20 bowling impact looks like.
Ashwin pushed back on criticism that centers purely on wickets, arguing that reducing Bumrah’s contributions to “getting wickets” misses how T20 games are actually shaped. Speaking on X, he cautioned that such storytelling can end up working against the team’s interests. Ashwin said the “lack-of-wickets” focus can hamper a side’s cause, adding that Bumrah’s ability to nail yorkers and squeeze runs is often even more important than simply tallying dismissals—particularly at venues like the Wankhede.
He then detailed the tactical reality of bowling in the shortest format, where overs aren’t always available in a straight line. Ashwin noted that when a bowler can’t bowl spell after spell, their wicket-taking depends heavily on teammates who come in after them and continue the pressure. He added that, even with years of T20 cricket behind them, defending as a bowling unit—bowling in partnerships—remains something that still needs to be deeply embedded in bowling groups.
RCB’s batting sets the tone
In the match itself, RCB’s batting firepower proved decisive once again. Phil Salt struck 78, Virat Kohli made 50, and Rajat Patidar accelerated with 53 off 20 balls to lift RCB to 240/4. Those runs gave RCB a buffer that mattered, especially as MI’s chase gained brief momentum late.
MI’s response was anchored by Rutherford, whose unbeaten 71 kept the chase alive even as wickets kept falling around him. Still, RCB’s bowlers managed the final overs well enough to prevent a full-scale turnaround. Ashwin’s remarks added another layer to the wider discussion—suggesting that in high-scoring settings like this one, Bumrah’s control and economy can remain as significant as wickets, even while MI continue to struggle through a tough stretch of results.
