One of the chief architects for RCB’s thrilling 2-wicket win over MI last night in Raipur was ace all-rounder Krunal Pandya. Krunal Pandya has been the man for all seasons for RCB ever since he joined their franchise last year. He was Player of the Match in the summit clash against PBKS in Ahmedabad, where he played an important role with the ball in hand. Yesterday, he did a decent job with the ball but did not pick a wicket. His main contribution came with the bat in hand later on in the piece.
Krunal Pandya bowled decently, but would admit he could have done better as he finished with 0/26 in 3 overs. While he did not take a wicket, he was not too expensive either. So, we can say it was a decent effort with the ball. But his main contribution came in the chase of 167 on a tricky surface in Raipur, which had variable bounce. Chasing 167, RCB lost 3 wickets in the power play as Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal and captain Rajat Patidar went cheaply. Krunal Pandya then came in, held the innings together and played the innings of his life as he was the best batter from both sides last night.
Krunal Pandya’s magical 73 floors MI
Tasked with chasing 167 for the win, RCB got off to a shaky start as the chase master Virat Kohli fell for a golden duck. Impact Player Devdutt Padikkal fell for 12 off 11 balls, while captain Rajat Patidar fell for 8 off 8 balls. RCB were 39/3 still inside the power play when their crisis man Krunal Pandya was sent up the order to face the music and rescue things for RCB to safeguard the big hitters after him. Krunal understood the situation of the match and applied himself.
To play on that pitch, one needed to apply themselves and then play their shots. He needed to get his eye in, and he did exactly that. He started playing good cricketing shots and started forging partnerships, first with Jacob Bethell, who made 27 off 27 balls only, but was involved in an important 55-run stand for the 4th wicket to bring RCB back on track. Then he built a 37-run stand with keeper batter and out-of-form Jitesh Sharma, who made 18 off 12 balls. Jitesh and Tim went off back-to-back balls.
After this, he was cramping after getting his fifty, but kept fighting for RCB. He then took on Ghazanfar and scored 18 runs in the 18th over to bring RCB to within touching distance of the win. Though he fell at the end of the 18th over, he made the equation look manageable and was dismissed for 73 off 46 balls. Had Krunal not played this innings, RCB would have surely lost this contest. His innings were important against his old team. Romario Shepherd made a mess of the situation, but the other hero, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, made sure that RCB scraped past the line in the end.
Krunal Pandya, the Crisis Man for RCB
Krunal Pandya is indeed the crisis man for RCB. He does not get batting if the team does well. For example, if the openers give a brisk start, then invariably the big hitters are promoted up the order, and they come and do a job. That’s been RCB’s template for the last two seasons. In case too many early wickets fall, Krunal is given the responsibility to stabilise the innings. And more often than not, he does a good job of doing that. He played a significant knock last night. In the game against LSG, he was there at the other end and could not take his side home, scoring an unbeaten 28 off 16 balls.
He scored a quickfire 23 off 12 balls, unbeaten against GT in Bengaluru in a supporting act to Virat Kohli. He scored 12 off 10 balls against DC in Bengaluru. His first-class numbers are also very good. Let’s not forget his contribution with the ball. Whenever the team needs, he delivers for his side. The IPL 2025 final in Ahmedabad is a prime example of Krunal delivering for his side. Bhuvneshwar might have pipped him for the Player of the Match Award last night, but without Krunal, this win would not have been possible.
Going ahead, RCB will be hoping their talisman all-rounder Krunal continues to perform for his side and deliver the goods, as RCB, despite not being at their best, will aim to win their 2nd title and defend their crown. Whether they will be able to do it remains to be seen, and Krunal will definitely have a big role to play in that regard.
What Lies Ahead
So, RCB with this win goes to the top of the points table with 14 points from 11 games. MI’s playoff hopes are over now, and will they play for pride with a ” nothing to lose attitude and mindset going forward? RCB next hosts KKR on Wednesday night, while MI will travel to Dharamsala next to face PBKS. Tonight, we go to Dharamsala for the North Indian Derby as PBKS takes on DC in an important clash as DC looks to keep their mathematical playoffs hopes alive while PBKS aims to snap their 3-match losing streak and go back to the top of the points table.
Let’s see how things unfold later tonight in Dharamsala.
Also Read: RCB vs MI: 3 Reasons For MI’s Gut-Wrenching Loss To RCB