Mumbai: In a high-octane clash at the Wankhede Stadium, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) secured a thrilling 12-run victory over Mumbai Indians (MI) in a final-over nail-biter in the IPL 2025. This marks RCB's third win in four matches, placing them among the early frontrunners in the tournament.

Batting first, RCB posted an imposing 221 for 5, powered by impressive knocks from Virat Kohli (67) and skipper Rajat Patidar (64). The duo set the tone with an aggressive but calculated approach, capitalising on a flat Mumbai wicket that offered plenty for the batters.

The chase saw MI oscillate between brilliance and struggle. A late onslaught by Tilak Varma and Hardik Pandya reignited hopes for the home side, but RCB’s bowlers held their nerve at the death. The turning point came in the final over, when Krunal Pandya, bowling against his younger brother Hardik, scalped three crucial wickets to seal the win.

“It was a hard-fought match,” said Player of the Match and RCB captain Rajat Patidar. “The credit goes to our bowlers. Especially KP (Krunal) — the way he bowled the final over was brilliant. We planned to take the game deep and back Krunal to finish, and it worked.”

Hardik Pandya, leading MI, reflected on the defeat with humility. “It was a run-fest. We missed by a couple of hits. Can’t blame the bowlers too much — the pitch gave them no room. But we’ll back ourselves to bounce back,” he said, while also lauding Tilak Varma’s return after a minor injury setback.

Krunal Pandya shared his emotions about facing his brother: “It’s always emotional, but once the game starts, we both want to win. I backed my experience and stuck to my plans.”

As the tournament heats up, RCB’s blend of experience, strategy, and calm leadership under Patidar is proving to be a winning formula — one that fans hope will carry them all the way this year.