Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) put on a show and scripted a stunning two-wicket win over Mumbai Indians (MI) to go top of the points table in IPL 2026. Meanwhile, MI's campaign in the IPL 2026 came to an end with this defeat.
RCB knock out MI with 2-wicket win
MI first posted a competitive target of 166/7 despite Bhuvneshwar Kumar's four-fer, thanks to Tilak Varma's fifty. In reply, Krunal Pandya took it all on his shoulder and rallied RCB to a thrilling chase.
The win catapulted RCB to the top of the table with 14 points from 11 matches. Chasing a target of 167, RCB survived a rollercoaster of momentum shifts, eventually needing 15 runs off the final over. Despite losing Romario Shepherd, Bhuvneshwar Kumar—who had earlier dominated with the ball—struck a crucial six and scrambled two runs off the last delivery to seal the win.
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Krunal Pandya's special takes RCB home
The backbone of RCB's chase was Krunal Pandya, who played a heroic innings of 73 from 46 balls. Despite battling severe cramps, Pandya anchored the innings after RCB had slipped to a precarious 39 for three during the powerplay. He received a massive reprieve in the 18th over when fielders Naman Dhir and Tilak Varma botched a relay catch on the boundary. Pandya capitalized on the error by smashing two sixes off AM Ghazanfar, bringing RCB within striking distance before finally being dismissed by a "bunny hop" catch from Tilak on the last ball of the over.
Earlier in the innings, Mumbai’s bowlers had put RCB under immense pressure. Deepak Chahar struck twice early, dismissing Virat Kohli for a duck and accounting for Devdutt Padikkal. The situation worsened for the defending champions when Corbin Bosch exploited the pitch's extra bounce to remove skipper Rajat Patidar. However, Pandya found a steady partner in Jacob Bethell, and the duo rebuilt the innings with a vital 55-run stand.
Though Mumbai’s Corbin Bosch kept his side in the hunt with a four-wicket haul—including the late dismissals of Jitesh Sharma and the dangerous Tim David, they could not prevent RCB from crossing the finish line. The match ended as an attritional battle of nerves, with Bhuvneshwar Kumar's all-round contribution ultimately overshadowing Mumbai's disciplined bowling effort.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar breaks MI's back
Earlier, on a challenging pitch defined by visible cracks and unpredictable bounce, Bhuvneshwar Kumar delivered a masterclass in seam bowling to help RCB restrict MI to 166/7. The veteran Indian pacer exploited the conditions perfectly, returning figures of 4/23. His initial three-wicket burst devastated the Mumbai top order, removing Ryan Rickelton, Rohit Sharma, and stand-in captain Suryakumar Yadav to leave the side reeling at 28 for three early in the innings.
Despite the early collapse, Mumbai Indians managed to recover through a resilient 82-run partnership for the fourth wicket between Tilak Varma and Naman Dhir. Varma, who scored a tenacious 57 off 42 balls, rode his luck after being dropped on nine when Suyash Sharma spilled a simple chance off the bowling of Rasikh Salam. Alongside Dhir, who contributed a brisk 47 off 32 deliveries, Varma focused on strike rotation and disciplined shot selection to build a competitive total on a surface where batters struggled for timing.
The highlight of the innings remained Bhuvneshwar’s clinical opening spell, marking the sixth time the 36-year-old has taken a three-wicket haul this season. He began by dismissing Rickelton with a ball that bounced unexpectedly, then outmaneuvered Rohit Sharma with a clever knuckle ball after the former MI skipper had shown glimpses of aggression. The collapse was compounded when Suryakumar Yadav fell for a duck, edging a quick delivery to a jubilant Virat Kohli. Although Dhir eventually fell to a delivery that stayed low, his and Varma's efforts ensured Mumbai had a fighting chance. But at the end, the total wasn't enough as RCB sealed the deal to reach to the summit of the points table.