RCB captain Rajat Patidar admitted his side failed to earn the win in their IPL 2026 encounter against Mumbai Indians in Raipur on Sunday, despite pulling off a dramatic two-wicket victory. While the defending champions climbed to the summit of the table, the five-time title winners were knocked out of the playoff race. RCB were chasing a 167-run target and looked set to fall short before Bhuvneshwar Kumar turned the final-over pressure into relief, striking a wide yorker for a six in the last over to swing the match, with the hosts eventually finishing on top. Patidar also pointed to a batting display that left plenty to be desired, noting that Virat Kohli was dismissed for a second successive duck and that most batters struggled to apply sustained pressure. Only Krunal Pandya truly delivered, smashing 73 to keep the chase alive until the finishing burst.
Key takeaways
- RCB beat Mumbai Indians by two wickets in Raipur to move to the top of the IPL 2026 points table.
- Mumbai’s defeat confirmed their elimination from the playoff race, despite being five-time champions.
- In the chase of 167, RCB’s batting largely underperformed, with Virat Kohli dismissed for a second straight duck.
- Krunal Pandya scored 73 to keep RCB in contention as the match tightened late.
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar was decisive in the final over, including a six off Raj Angad Bawa’s wide yorker as RCB completed the win.
- Patidar said RCB “didn’t deserve to win” given their batting showing, even though the target was chaseable on paper.
Patidar’s blunt assessment after the chase
After the match, Patidar was frank about RCB’s batting performance. He suggested that with the talent in their lineup, the 167-run chase should have been completed with greater control and conviction. In his view, the chase was not an overly complex target once the side had the chance to settle, but the execution didn’t match the quality available in the batting order.
Patidar said, in essence, that restricting the opposition to 166 made the target easily attainable, yet RCB still fell short of what they would expect from themselves. He also added that they were capable of chasing such totals regardless of the pitch or match situation, but the way the innings unfolded did not reflect that. His comments at the presentation included the idea that the team had not earned the result through their batting display and that it was a “horror show” in terms of intensity and application.
He then shifted to mindset, explaining that the team’s focus is not on the table at this stage. Instead, RCB’s priority is to play to their strengths and deliver quality cricket, rather than being driven by standings and permutations.
The deciding roles of Krunal and Bhuvneshwar
Both Krunal Pandya and Bhuvneshwar Kumar produced standout contributions, but Bhuvneshwar won the Player of the Match award. He finished the game with a four-wicket haul and also struck an unbeaten 7-run cameo from just two balls, underlining his impact when the match was at its most tense.
Krunal’s effort, meanwhile, came with its own challenges. Patidar noted that the batter was dealing with cramps towards the end of his innings, yet he still found ways to score, including hitting sixes that kept RCB in the hunt. Patidar also highlighted Krunal’s assignment at number five, praising the opportunity he was given and how effectively he took it. He framed the innings as the sort of performance players deliver on bigger stages, particularly when the team is under pressure.
On Bhuvneshwar, Patidar described the bowler’s control and command over the ball as “super,” especially in conditions that were difficult to read. He referenced a wicket that played slowly and offered variable bounce, making it harder for batters to time shots and deal with the pace and movement. In Patidar’s assessment, it was precisely that level of control that made Bhuvneshwar difficult to handle during the crucial phase of the contest.
