Royal Challengers Bengaluru produced a sensational finish to beat Mumbai Indians by 2 wickets in IPL 2026 in Raipur, completing a chase of 167 on the very last ball. Krunal Pandya was the difference-maker with a gritty 73 off 46 deliveries, but his innings wasn’t smooth—he battled severe cramps as the game progressed and still found a way to steer RCB to the target. Even with the side reeling at 39/3 when he arrived, Krunal steadied the chase through crucial partnerships with Jacob Bethell and Jitesh Sharma, before Bhuvneshwar Kumar struck late to close it out. After the match, Krunal spoke about handling pressure, the nature of the pitch, the physical toll of cramps, and the influence of former MI teammate Kieron Pollard.
Key takeaways
- RCB chased 167 against Mumbai Indians in Raipur and won by 2 wickets on the final delivery of IPL 2026.
- Krunal Pandya top-scored for RCB with 73 off 46 balls, despite suffering serious cramps during his innings.
- RCB were struggling at 39/3 when Krunal came in, but he rebuilt the chase with key stands involving Jacob Bethell and Jitesh Sharma.
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s late six helped seal the result for RCB.
- Krunal said pressure situations help him perform and praised the “cricketing shots” required on a pitch that didn’t suit pure power.
- He also acknowledged being physically exhausted, with cramps starting in the calf before spreading to the glutes and back.
Chase momentum and late drama in Raipur
Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s run chase unfolded with early difficulty as Mumbai Indians made inroads, leaving the batting side tottering at 39/3. Krunal Pandya entered at that moment and injected stability, gradually shifting the chase from survival mode to a controlled pursuit of the target.
Despite the physical discomfort, Krunal maintained the tempo and stitched together meaningful partnerships. Jacob Bethell and Jitesh Sharma played their roles at crucial stages, allowing RCB to keep the required rate within reach as the innings moved toward its decisive phase.
With the game tightening, the final stretch belonged to the finishers. Bhuvneshwar Kumar provided the decisive blow late on, and Bengaluru ultimately reached 167 on the last ball to secure a narrow two-wicket win.
Krunal on pressure, pitch demands, and cramps
After sealing the win, Krunal reflected on what pressure does to his game. He suggested that difficult moments tend to bring out his best and admitted that while he wanted to finish the chase himself, he couldn’t do it in the manner he intended.
He also described the conditions at the venue as challenging for big hitting, emphasizing that the surface demanded patience and selection of the right cricketing options rather than reckless shot-making.
“I obviously love tough situations and I always prepare and look forward to those. Obviously wanted to finish the game but I was not able to do it but the shot that Bhuvi played was the shot of the match. It was a wicket where you have to play cricketing shots. Not the kind of wicket where you line up the bowlers. You have to apply and grind and play the knock,” Krunal said.
Krunal then opened up about the extent of his cramps, explaining that the tightness began early and worsened as he batted. He said it started in his calf, spread to his glutes, and eventually affected his back, leaving him exhausted by the end of his innings. He also noted that he doesn’t typically bat for that long, which made the situation even tougher.
“I was cramping a lot. It started from calf, went to glutes and went to my back. So I was cramping a lot. I don’t usually bat so long,” he said.
Emotional tribute to Kieron Pollard
Beyond the match itself, Krunal became emotional while speaking about former Mumbai Indians teammate Kieron Pollard. He referred to the West Indies veteran as a “big brother” and reflected on the connection he shared with Pollard, as well as the bond between Pollard and the Pandya family.
“Polly (Kieron Pollard) is my big brother… GOAT of this format… and as he says, you can’t keep a good man down,” Krunal said.
