Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) needed 15 runs off the final over of their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 clash against Mumbai Indians (MI) to prevent another late-season slip. With Raj Bawa delivering the last over for MI, RCB’s batting pair was Romario Shepherd and Rasikh Salam Dar. The chase ultimately stretched to the final ball, where RCB required two runs to seal the win. The match even hinged on a last-moment throwing lapse—had the ball been sent to the correct end, the contest may have gone to a Super Over instead.
Last over drama: pressure moments and costly extras
Bawa began the decisive over in a difficult way, conceding a wide and then a no-ball. As the over progressed, the right-arm pacer’s control continued to wobble, and he finished the stint giving away five extras in total—four wides and a no-ball—at a time when every run swung the equation.
The final delivery went to Rasikh, who struck it straight back at Bawa. However, a misfield meant the ball didn’t go to hand cleanly and ended up deflecting toward the mid-on region. In the scramble that followed, Bawa was stationed in the middle and appeared not to realise that the game was still salvageable—there was a clear opportunity to keep the contest alive by forcing a Super Over.
Throwing error decides the finish
Because Bawa stood away from the bowler’s end, the fielder had to make a throw to the wicket-keeper’s end rather than the end that would have affected the batters’ position. By the time the ball reached the wicket-keeper’s gloves, Rasikh had already managed to complete the two runs needed for RCB to finish their chase.
A video shared on social media shows that the non-striker would likely have been short of the crease if the throw had been aimed at the bowler’s end. As a result, a wrong throw at one end became the defining factor, and Mumbai Indians lost the match. With the ball sent to the bowler’s end, the batter could have been run out with far less difficulty.
Suryakumar Yadav on Bawa’s last-over call
After the defeat, MI’s stand-in captain Suryakumar Yadav was asked about the decision to hand Bawa the final over—an approach that looked like it may have cost the franchise the game. Yadav, though, refused to pin the outcome on the youngster.
- He said Bawa had been practising those skills “really well” across the season and also the previous year.
- Yadav described Bawa as a “completely different all-rounder” this year compared to earlier looks.
- He added that MI trusted him for the late phase and that, with the responsibility on his shoulders, Bawa “almost pulled it off”.
In the post-match presentation ceremony, Suryakumar summed it up by saying that despite the narrow margin, Bawa’s execution had been close to turning the game in MI’s favour.
Playoff hopes end for MI and Lucknow
This loss officially eliminated Mumbai Indians from the playoffs race. Lucknow Super Giants were also knocked out of contention along with MI, ending both teams’ chances of reaching the next stage of the tournament.
