Mumbai (Maharashtra), India, April 8 (ANI): Following an outstanding match-winning performance against Mumbai Indians ( MI ) side in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 on Monday, they Royal Challengers Bengaluru ( RCB ) all-rounder Krunal Pandya shared insights into his thoughts as he prepared to bowl the final over of the match, with the five-time champions needing 19 runs to secure victory.

Krunal Pandya took center stage as the top performer for the RCB On the side where he claimed four wickets and gave away 45 runs during his bowling stint. He received the Player of the Match honor for this outstanding display in the 20th match of the 18th season of the lucrative tournament. In this game, he dismissed batsmen such as Will Jacks, Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, and Deepak Chahar.

The left-handed spin bowler claimed three crucial wickets in the last over of an exhilarating match that kept spectators at the legendary Wankede Stadium on tenterhooks on Monday. Viewers tuning in on television remained captivated throughout the game.

After the game, Pandya expressed his views.

The connection between Hardik and me means that we both understood only one Pandya should emerge victorious; our mutual love and support feels quite organic. While I empathize with Hardik’s performance, what matters most is that our team emerged triumphant. Upon entering to bowl, Santner was at bat, and the leg-side boundary seemed closer than usual. Given my decade-long history playing here, eventually drawing upon this experience became inevitable. For a bowler, committing fully can be crucial, enhancing overall effectiveness. Having spent two seasons together at LSG, Andy Flower and I developed strong bonds personally and professionally. Our current positive mindset as a squad reflects positively on how far we’ve come under such guidance. Rajat has shown remarkable progress since starting out—his self-assurance bolsters our strategies without complicating them. His composed demeanor simplifies decision-making processes. Similarly, Jitesh deserves praise for significantly elevating his gameplay and demonstrating superior understanding during batsmanship sessions. Additionally, his fielding skills remain consistently outstanding. My focus remains steadfast: maintaining humility and securing more victories,” stated the 34-year-old athlete following the match presentation.

Coming to the match, MI won the coin toss and chose to bowl first.

Although Phil Salt left early, Virat (67 runs off 42 deliveries, including eight boundaries and two sixes) and Devdutt Padikkal (37 runs off 22 balls, featuring two fours and three sixes) ensured MI regretted their decision as they put on a counter-attacking 91-run stand. After the dismissal of this duo, skipper Rajat Patidar (64 in 32 balls, with five fours and four sixes) and Jitesh Sharma (40* in 19 balls, with two fours and four sixes) made sure that the run-rate never went down. RCB ended at 221/5.

Hardik Pandya (2/45), the captain along with Trent Boult (2/57) secured two wickets each but conceded many runs. Vignesh Puthur also managed to take one wicket. In his return match, Jasprit Bumrah recorded figures of 0/29 over four overs.

During the run-chase, MI reached 99/4 off 12 overs. However, Tilak Varma (56 runs from 29 balls, including four fours and four sixes) and captain put on a dynamic partnership of 89 runs. Hardik Pandya (42 off 15 deliveries, including three boundaries and four maximums) seemed poised to snatch the match away RCB .

Nevertheless, Krunal (4/45), Josh Hazlewood (2/37), and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1/48) delivered critical wickets when needed most, aiding significantly in securing the win. RCB a 12-run win.

RCB sits in the third position after securing three victories and suffering one defeat in four games, with all of their wins occurring away from home. MI They have secured victory in only one out of their five matches and currently stand at the eighth position. (ANI)