Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) edged past Mumbai Indians (MI) in a tense contest, and former South Africa batter Mark Boucher singled out Krunal Pandya’s gritty 73 as the defining difference. Battling cramps throughout his stay, the all-rounder drove the chase with a counter-attacking approach, determined to deliver the result for the defending champions. When Krunal eventually fell, the momentum he created remained—his 73 off 46 deliveries, featuring four fours and five sixes, set up a finish that RCB managed on the last ball, winning with two wickets in hand.
It was only Krunal’s third fifty in the IPL, but the timing and conditions made it feel particularly significant. The pitch in Raipur offered uneven bounce, and with the target sitting at 167, the chase looked like a steep task from the start.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar received the “Player of the Match” nod after claiming four wickets and striking in the final over, yet it felt hard not to argue that Krunal and Bhuvneshwar deserved the spotlight together. Both played pivotal roles in shaping a match that ultimately carried RCB to the summit of the standings.
The innings also reinforced Krunal’s improved rhythm with the bat this season. He has accumulated 141 runs across six matches, striking at 150.00 and posting an average of 35.50, showing a more calculated mindset as the campaign has progressed.
Speaking on JioHotStar’s “Match Centre Live,” Boucher described what he sees in Krunal as a fighter’s mentality. In his view, the batter may not be the easiest to watch, but he competes relentlessly, particularly when the game tightens. Boucher said, “In low-scoring games, you need street fighters to win you matches. When I look at Krunal Pandya, I see a street fighter. He’s not always easy on the eye, but he finds a way. It’s like the dog in a fight, he just wouldn’t go down. I think the Mumbai Indians showed some great intent. There was a lot of desperation, but they were really up against one man, and that was Krunal Pandya.”
He added that Krunal’s impact was visible even when his body looked strained. “He did his part brilliantly. At one point, it looked like he could barely stand anymore; he was just standing there swinging. And when he swung, most of the time, he hit the middle of the bat. This game has to go down as a massive tick for Krunal Pandya. He wanted it desperately; you could see it in his eyes,” Boucher concluded.
Match details
RCB won the toss and chose to bowl first. Their plan looked to hit the mark early as MI slipped to 28/3 during the powerplay, with Bhuvneshwar Kumar setting the tone. Still, the innings recovered through a steady partnership: Naman Dhir struck 47 off 32 balls, including five fours and two sixes, while Tilak Varma made 57 off 42 with three fours and two sixes. Together, they added 82 runs to push MI to 166/7 at the end of 20 overs.
For RCB, Bhuvneshwar was the leading wicket-taker with figures of 4/23. Josh Hazlewood (1/33) and Romario Shepherd (1/18 in three overs) also contributed with timely spells.
In the chase, RCB lost Virat Kohli (0) for a second straight golden duck, and the team slipped to 39/3. Deepak Chahar played a key role in keeping control, but Krunal responded by building momentum with Jacob Bethell and then adding another productive stand with Jitesh Sharma. Krunal and Bethell combined for 55 runs, with Bethell contributing 26 from 27 balls and hitting two fours. After that, Krunal and Sharma put together a further 38-run partnership as Krunal accelerated towards a fighting fifty.
However, Corbin Bosch (4/26) and Allah Ghazanfar (1/33) struck at crucial moments. They removed Krunal, and the wickets that followed dragged RCB back to 149/7 after 18 overs.
Romario Shepherd struggled against Jasprit Bumrah, managing only four runs from 11 balls, and that left RCB needing 12 runs from the final over. A wave of extras from Raj Angad Bawa eased the pressure, and Bhuvneshwar contributed a six despite Romario’s dismissal. In the end, RCB completed the chase on the last delivery, with Rasikh Salam Dar finishing unbeaten on 3* to strike the winning runs.
With seven victories and four defeats, RCB sit first in the points table on 14 points. MI are placed ninth with three wins and eight losses, and they have been knocked out of the playoff race alongside Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).
