Krunal, Bhuvneshwar seal dramatic RCB win over MI
Royal Challengers Bengaluru climbed to the top of the IPL 2026 table after sealing a dramatic two-wicket victory over Mumbai Indians on the final ball in Raipur, ending MI’s playoff hopes and also eliminating Lucknow Super Giants from contention.
RCB chased down 167 in extraordinary fashion on a difficult two-paced surface, with Krunal Pandya’s 73 and Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s all-round brilliance proving decisive in one of the season’s most gripping contests.
The match ended in chaos and tension. Needing two runs from the final delivery, Rasikh Salam clipped Raj Bawa towards mid-on before scrambling back for the winning second run as Ryan Rickelton broke the stumps at the striker’s end. Rasikh’s dive ensured RCB completed a remarkable escape.
Bhuvneshwar tears through MI early
The pitch in Raipur offered uneven bounce and inconsistent pace from the beginning, making hard lengths extremely dangerous for batters.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar exploited those conditions superbly. He removed Ryan Rickelton in the opening over before producing one of the finest deliveries of the IPL season to dismiss Rohit Sharma. The knuckle-ball outswinger tempted Rohit into an edge behind the wicket.
One ball later, Bhuvneshwar struck again. This time he found late movement to send Suryakumar Yadav back for a golden duck, leaving Mumbai reeling at 28 for 3 inside three overs.
The spell shaped the entire innings. On a surface where timing remained difficult throughout, Bhuvneshwar’s control over swing, seam and pace variations constantly forced errors.
Tilak and Dhir rebuild Mumbai innings
After the collapse, Tilak Varma and Naman Dhir rebuilt carefully with an old-fashioned partnership worth 82 runs from 57 balls.
The pair resisted the difficult conditions intelligently while keeping Mumbai in contention for a strong finish. Dhir counterattacked with crisp boundaries square of the wicket, while Tilak paced his innings calmly before accelerating later.
However, RCB struck back just as the innings threatened to explode.
Dhir was undone by a low shooter after attacking Rasikh Salam, while Tilak fell in the 18th over attempting a scoop against Bhuvneshwar. His dismissal for 57 proved especially damaging because Mumbai managed only 11 runs across the final two overs.
Josh Hazlewood and Rasikh continued hammering hard lengths into the surface, preventing MI from finishing strongly despite being well positioned earlier in the innings.
Bosch and Chahar pull MI back into contest
Mumbai’s defence began perfectly when Deepak Chahar removed Virat Kohli for a golden duck. Kohli attempted to attack a wide outswinger but mistimed the shot straight to mid-off.
Jacob Bethell briefly countered with two boundaries in Chahar’s opening over, but MI kept finding breakthroughs. Chahar then produced a superb delivery to dismiss Devdutt Padikkal before Corbin Bosch used the surface brilliantly to remove Rajat Patidar with a steep short ball.
RCB slipped to 39 for 3, and Mumbai appeared firmly in control.
Krunal changes the chase
Krunal Pandya’s innings became the defining difference between the two sides.
Promoted to No. 5, he handled the difficult conditions far better than anyone else in the chase. While boundaries dried up for most batters, Krunal repeatedly found methods to score against both pace and spin.
His use of the sweep and slog against spin disrupted Mumbai’s plans and forced Suryakumar Yadav to delay introducing legspinner Raghu Sharma for extended spells. Krunal also targeted Raj Bawa effectively, combining with Jitesh Sharma to take 16 runs from the 14th over.
Jitesh added a valuable 18 off 12 balls, including a hooked six off Bosch and a classy back-foot boundary against Jasprit Bumrah.
The match turned again when Bosch dismissed Jitesh and Tim David in successive deliveries. Suddenly, Mumbai regained control with RCB still requiring 30 from the final three overs.
Last-over chaos seals unforgettable finish
The key moment arrived in the 18th over when AM Ghazanfar induced a mis-hit from Krunal, only for Tilak Varma and Naman Dhir to misjudge a possible relay catch near the boundary.
Krunal capitalised immediately despite severe cramps, smashing two massive sixes in the same over before eventually falling while trying for another maximum.
That left Bumrah to bowl the 19th over against two new batters. He delivered another exceptional spell, conceding only three runs and leaving RCB needing nine from the final over.
Raj Bawa was handed responsibility for the finish and nearly pulled it off despite wides and a no-ball increasing the pressure. Romario Shepherd fell attempting a big shot, leaving Nos. 9 and 10 needing 10 from three balls.
Then came Bhuvneshwar’s crucial six over sweeper cover — his first IPL six since 2016 — before the chaotic final-ball scramble completed RCB’s victory.
The win not only snapped Bengaluru’s two-match losing streak but also dramatically reshaped the playoff race. Krunal’s rescue act and Bhuvneshwar’s influence with both bat and ball delivered one of RCB’s most significant wins of the season.
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