Yesterday Match Result: RCB hold nerve in thriller! Krunal shines, Bhuvi lands knockout blow on MI

RAIPUR: Royal Challengers Bengaluru snapped their two-match losing streak with a thrilling two-wicket win over Mumbai Indians at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium on Sunday, riding on Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s incisive spell and Krunal Pandya’s matchwinning knock.

The defending champions climbed to the top of the table after chasing down 167 in dramatic fashion, with Krunal playing aggressor and anchor, slamming a gutsy 73.

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RCB’s chase began poorly as Virat Kohli fell for a second successive duck in the opening over. Deepak Chahar struck again to remove Devdutt Padikkal (12), while captain Rajat Patidar (8) failed to convert a start.

Corbin Bosch added to the slide, leaving RCB at 47/3 after the Powerplay. Krunal then stepped in to steady the innings. The left-hander absorbed pressure early before shifting gears, finding timely boundaries off Will Jacks and Aallah Ghazanfar to keep the equation in check.

Despite losing Jacob Bethell (26) and enduring Bosch’s wicket-maiden in the 13th over, RCB stayed alive through a crucial stand between Krunal and Jitesh Sharma (18). Jitesh counterattacked against Jasprit Bumrah and Bosch, briefly tilting the momentum in the favour of the defending champions.

But RCB wobbled again when Bosch struck twice in successive balls to remove Jitesh and Tim David, reducing them to 131/6. Krunal, battling cramps, held firm, smashing two sixes off Ghazanfar in the 18th over before falling for a vital 73 off 46 balls.

With 15 needed off the final over after a tight Bumrah penultimate over, Bhuvneshwar once again stepped up. After Romario Shepherd’s dismissal, the veteran launched Raj Bawa for a six, before Rasikh Salam scrambled back for the winning runs off the final ball.

Earlier, Bhuvneshwar had set up the game with a brilliant 4/23. Striking in the opening over, he removed Ryan Rickelton (2) after Patidar made amends for an early drop and then dismissed Rohit Sharma (22) with a clever knuckleball. He also sent back Suryakumar Yadav first ball.

Surya did the captaincy duties again on Sunday as regular skipper Hardik Pandya, who had missed the last game vs LSG at Wankhede last week, was still not passed fit by the medical team.

Bhuvi finished the Powerplay with figures of 3/17 as MI slipped to 53/3. Naman Dhir (47) and Tilak Varma (57) revived the innings with an 82-run stand, but Bhuvneshwar returned to dismiss Tilak in the 18th over, ending the resistance.