Pressure feels normal to Krunal Pandya, who finds rhythm when moments turn tense. Hitting 73 from just 46 deliveries, he shaped Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s win against Mumbai Indians in an IPL 2026 clash decided on the final delivery. Chasing 167, RCB stumbled early – 39 runs lost with three batters gone by the fifth over and one ball. A shift came through his partnership with Jacob Bethell; their 55 together steadied things after collapse loomed. Later, another push forward emerged alongside Jitesh Sharma, adding 37 more despite setbacks. His exit arrived in the eighteenth over, cutting short momentum briefly. Yet calm followed through Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Rasikh Salam Dar, both striking key blows in tight spots. Two needed off one pitch – one swing sealed it. Victory landed late, built on quiet resilience rather than flash.
Five sixes came off Krunal’s bat, even though cramps slowed him down. Boundaries followed – four of them – between winces and heavy breaths. His innings unfolded unevenly, shaped by pain but never breaking.
Later on, Krunal mentioned how he thrives when things get tense, even though this time he fell short at the end. Still, preparation has never been an issue for him. That last six by Bhuvneshwar? What shifted everything. Patience mattered more than power on that Raipur surface, where timing beat brute force every now and then.
“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 at the post-match presentations.
Midway through his knock, pain gripped his muscles tightly. That kind of endurance at the crease? Not something he’s built for yet.
“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,” Pandya said.
Back then, those first six seasons with Mumbai Indians – from 2016 through 2021 – meant more than just games to Krunal Pandya. Emotions rose when he spoke about that chapter, eyes drifting back to locker rooms and late-night chats. That setup made room for family vibes, even if blood wasn’t shared. One name stood out: Kieron Pollard, labeled not as mentor but something warmer – a big brother type. His influence? Felt beyond stats, shaping how Krunal saw fast-paced cricket. Call it luck or timing, the trio of Krunal, Hardik, and Pollard clicked like few others did under pressure. The label “T20 great” fits Pollard easily, given what unfolded match after messy match. Team triumphs often traced paths back to quiet talks between overs. Those years now seem golden – not perfect, yet packed with weighty moments. Connection mattered most, stitched deep inside every net session and flight delay.
Out of everyone, Polly – yeah, that’s Kieron Pollard – feels like the older sibling I never had. Six solid years, spent right there at MI, turned out pretty good. The real drive? Came from Kieron Pollard alongside the Pandya brothers. Emotions ran high, truth be told – and listening to him speak, you just see how deeply kind he really is. He’s the greatest ever in this game, claimed plenty of titles, took home countless matches. Even when pushed, a strong person rises, that is his belief, mentioned Krunal after the match ended.
Falling just short of victory, RCB pulled through on the final delivery. A nail-biting chase of 167 unfolded under pressure in Raipur. Two wickets remained when the winning run was scored. The match against MI came down to sheer nerve in the closing moments.
Falling just short, MI watched RCB stay calm under pressure when it mattered most. A fiery spell of four wickets by Corbin Bosch lit up the game early. Then came Krunal Pandya, steady on his feet, carving out fifty runs that kept the target within reach. The edge-of-the-seat finish unfolded in the last over, where a towering six off Bhuvneshwar’s bat tipped the balance firmly toward RCB.
Out first, RCB restricted MI to 166, riding on Bhuvneshwar’s four wickets. A shaky start didn’t stop Tilak Varma and Naman Dhir from stitching something solid later.
Now sitting first, RCB reached seven wins from 11 games after this result. Meanwhile, stuck on only three victories, MI stayed ninth – their chance at playoffs fading fast.
