Royal Challengers Bengaluru secured a dramatic two-wicket victory over Mumbai Indians on the final ball of their IPL clash in Raipur on Sunday,May 10th, with Krunal Pandya delivering a decisive all-round performance under pressure. Despite an outstanding four-wicket spell from Corbin Bosch, Mumbai Indians failed to defend their total as RCB completed another memorable last-ball chase against their long-time rivals.
The result officially ended the playoff hopes of both Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Super Giants while lifting Royal Challengers Bengaluru to the top of the IPL points table. RCB registered their seventh victory in 11 matches, while Mumbai Indians remained in ninth place with only three wins from the same number of games.
Chasing a target of 167, Bengaluru suffered an immediate setback when Deepak Chahar dismissed Virat Kohli on the very first ball of the innings. Kohli’s dismissal marked only the second time in his IPL career that he had recorded ducks in consecutive innings, the previous instance coming during the 2022 season. The early wicket put additional pressure on the middle order, forcing the remaining batters to rebuild carefully.
Jacob Bethell and Devdutt Padikkal attempted to stabilize the innings, but Mumbai Indians continued to apply pressure through disciplined bowling and regular breakthroughs. Corbin Bosch emerged as the standout bowler for Mumbai, consistently troubling the Bengaluru batters with pace and accuracy. His four-wicket haul kept Mumbai firmly in control for large parts of the chase and appeared to have tilted the match in their favor.
However, Krunal Pandya produced a commanding innings that shifted the momentum back toward Bengaluru. The left-hander scored 73 runs from 46 deliveries, striking four boundaries and five sixes during a composed yet aggressive knock. Krunal managed the chase effectively by rotating the strike while capitalizing on loose deliveries, keeping RCB within reach despite the mounting required rate.
The contest intensified in the closing overs as wickets continued to fall, leaving the match balanced until the final moments. With the equation narrowing down to the final over, Bhuvneshwar Kumar played a crucial role by striking an important six under pressure, helping Bengaluru stay alive in the contest. RCB eventually completed the chase on the last delivery, securing one of the most dramatic wins of the season.
