Krunal Pandya's Bowling Heroics Lead RCB to Victory Over MI in IPL Thriller

RCB Triumphs in Nail-Biting Encounter Against MI

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], April 8: In a thrilling IPL match, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) edged out Mumbai Indians (MI) by 12 runs, thanks to a stellar bowling display from left-arm spinner Krunal Pandya.

Krunal's remarkable performance included three wickets in the final over, keeping fans on the edge of their seats at the iconic Wankhede Stadium.

RCB set a formidable target of 221 runs, bolstered by impressive innings from Virat Kohli, who scored 67, and Rajat Patidar, who contributed 64 runs.

This victory marked RCB's first win at Wankhede in a decade, placing them third in the IPL standings with three wins out of four matches.

Chasing a daunting total of 222, MI struggled early, losing openers Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickleton cheaply, both scoring 17 runs.

At 38/2 in just over three overs, MI's hopes rested on new batsmen Will Jacks (22 runs) and Suryakumar Yadav (28 runs), who managed to stabilize the innings.

After a partnership of 41 runs, Jacks was dismissed in the 10th over, followed by Suryakumar's exit in the 12th over, leaving MI at 97/4.

Captain Hardik Pandya (42 runs) and Tilak Varma (56 runs) then took charge, leading MI to a hundred in the 13th over and 150 in the 15th.

However, the loss of both Hardik and Tilak in quick succession sealed MI's fate, as they fell short by 12 runs.

Krunal Pandya was the standout bowler for RCB, taking four wickets for 45 runs in his four overs. Yash Dayal and Josh Hazlewood each took two wickets, while Bhuvnesh Kumar claimed one.

The match began with MI winning the toss and opting to bowl first. RCB's innings started with a bang, but they quickly lost Phil Salt to Trent Boult's bowling.

Devdutt Padikkal joined Kohli, and together they built a solid partnership, with Kohli reaching his fifty in just 29 balls.

Despite a brief lull in scoring, RCB maintained momentum, with Rajat Patidar and Jitesh Sharma adding crucial runs towards the end.

RCB finished their innings at 221/5, with Jitesh Sharma remaining unbeaten on 40 off 19 balls.

MI's bowlers struggled, with Hardik Pandya and Boult taking two wickets each, while Bumrah made a comeback with a tidy spell.

Final Score: Royal Challengers Bengaluru 221/5 in 20 overs (Virat Kohli 67, Rajat Patidar 64) vs Mumbai Indians 209/9 in 20 overs (Tilak Varma 56, Hardik Pandya 42, Krunal Pandya 4/45).