Royal Challengers Bengaluru pulled off a dramatic two-wicket win against Mumbai Indians in Match 54 of IPL 2026 at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium in Raipur on Sunday. Chasing 166, RCB held their nerve to cross the finish line on the final delivery and complete a league double over MI.
Krunal Pandya emerged as the match-winner with a composed knock of 73, rescuing Bengaluru after the side stumbled to 39/3 early in the chase. His crucial partnership with Jacob Bethell steadied the innings before he guided the team deep into the contest.
The victory pushed RCB to the top of the points table, while Mumbai Indians were officially knocked out of playoff contention.
Emotional Tribute to Pollard and Hardik
After the game, Krunal became emotional while speaking about former Mumbai Indians teammate Kieron Pollard and his younger brother Hardik Pandya. The all-rounder recalled the successful years the trio shared together at MI, where they played pivotal roles in multiple title-winning campaigns.
Krunal said Pollard had always supported and motivated him, describing the West Indies legend as one of the greatest players in the format. He also reflected on the emotional moment in 2021 when the trio realised they might never represent Mumbai Indians together again.
The 35-year-old added that Pollard’s belief in him remained special and remembered one of the Caribbean star’s favourite lines — that “you can’t keep a good man down.”
“Kieron is my big brother. I had my best six years in MI. I remember with the Pandya brothers and Kieron Pollard were the engine room. We won a lot of games with bat, ball and fielding. I still remember in 2021 when we were playing our last game, we hold three of us, we hold each other’s hand and we felt like, okay this is the last time we’ll be able to play together and yeah, it was obviously an emotional moment again, but I love Kieron Pollard. I mean, he’s a terrific human being, goat of this format, won so many trophies, so many games. And yeah, as they say, you’re right, Kieron always used to tell me that you can’t keep a good man down,” Krunal said after the match.
Battling Pain During Match-Winning Knock
Krunal revealed that his innings was physically demanding as he battled severe cramps throughout the chase. According to the RCB all-rounder, the discomfort began in his calf before spreading to his glutes and back.
Despite the pain, he continued batting and emphasised that securing two important points for the team mattered most. Krunal also stated that he enjoys performing in difficult situations and prepares himself mentally for pressure moments.
Bhuvneshwar and Tilak Shine in Key Moments
Earlier in the evening, Mumbai Indians struggled after being asked to bat first, slipping to 28/3 inside the powerplay. Tilak Varma fought back with a steady 57 off 42 deliveries, while Naman Dhir added 47 runs to help MI post 165/7 in 20 overs
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