RCB Edge Out MI in Thriller as Krunal Pandya Shines Against Former Team
The Wankhede Stadium witnessed a pulsating clash between two IPL giants as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) secured a thrilling 12-run win over Mumbai Indians (MI) in a high-scoring contest of the IPL 2025 season. Despite a remarkable comeback partnership by MI skipper Hardik Pandya and Tilak Varma, it was Krunal Pandya—ironically, a former MI stalwart—who sealed the match for RCB with a brilliant final over.
Chasing a daunting target of 222, MI looked down and out before Hardik and Tilak launched a stunning assault, adding 89 runs off just 34 balls for the fifth wicket. Their counter-attack brought Mumbai back into the game, but Bhuvneshwar Kumar dismissed Tilak (56 off 29) in the 18th over, followed by Hardik’s departure for 42 off 15 in the next over to Josh Hazlewood. With 19 needed off the final over, Krunal held his nerve, finishing with 4/45 to deny MI a last-minute miracle.
Earlier, RCB posted 221/5 thanks to explosive fifties from Rajat Patidar (64 off 32) and Virat Kohli (67 off 42), with Jitesh Sharma providing a late flourish with an unbeaten 40 off 19 balls. Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal (38) stitched together a crucial 91-run stand after Phil Salt fell early to Trent Boult. MI’s captain Hardik Pandya picked two crucial wickets in one over, removing Kohli and Liam Livingstone, momentarily stalling RCB’s momentum.
MI’s chase never quite got going early on. Rohit Sharma showed early intent but fell quickly for 17 off 13 to Yash Dayal. Suryakumar Yadav struggled to find rhythm and was eventually dismissed by Dayal as well. MI’s top-order failed to fire again, and it wasn’t until Hardik and Tilak's fireworks that the home crowd had something to cheer.
With this result, RCB climb the IPL 2025 table, bouncing back from their previous loss to Gujarat Titans. MI, meanwhile, slump to a precarious position with just one win from five games. While the return of Jasprit Bumrah and Rohit Sharma provided some optimism, MI’s campaign remains under serious pressure.
