Home
When the game was tipped in balance, it was Krunal Pandya to whom Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) captain Rajat Patidar turned in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 final. Among all key battles before the ultimate final, Krunal was the underrated one despite winning the IPL with Mumbai Indians (MI). His experience came in handy. Instead of darting all deliveries like a medium pacer, he slowed it up on a batting-friendly wicket that had little assistance for the bowlers. He did not just taken two wickets but conceded just 17 runs from his quota of four overs. After winning the 'Player of the series', Krunal recalled his Day 1 promise to RCB and what he told brother and MI captain Hardik Pandya before the final.
"When I joined RCB I said that I loved winning trophies. After 3 and a half months, glad I was able to fulfil what I said on Day 1. Been pretty good - 10 years, 4 IPL trophies. Told Hardik also on the phone, there will be 9 IPL trophies in the Pandya household in 10 years," Krunal said in the post-match presentation.
The plan Krunal devised in dugout during IPL 2025 final
Krunal talked about the need to be brave in the final to be able to toss it up despite a small margin of error. First, he created pressure on opener Prabhsimran Singh and dismissed him in the ninth over. Then, he got the prized wicket of the dangerous Josh Inglis who hit four sixes during his 23-ball 39. While Prabhsimran miscued and was caught by Bhuvneshwar, Inglis was caught very near to the boundary line by Liam Livingstone.
"When we batted in the first innings, I was sitting outside and chatting with batters, I realised the slower you bowl the better. But in this format as a bowler you need guts to do that because the margin of error is small. I just backed myself and thought that if I'm able to vary my pace and keep it more on the slower side, I'll create chances rather than just coming and firing it in," Krunal said.
"What has been my biggest strength is learning what the situation requires. I've always backed my gut and instinct. Today also I realised if I have to take a couple of wickets, I have to be brave. If you would've bowled quick on that surface, it would've been a good batting wicket. But if you varied your pace, there was some help. In the second innings it got better as well compared to the first innings," the all-rounder added.
In the end, RCB won the final by six runs and ended their 18-year wait for a title.
ADVERTISEMENT
