Royal Challengers Bengaluru produced one of the most unforgettable finishes of IPL 2026 as they defeated Mumbai Indians on the final ball in Raipur to move to the top of the points table. The thrilling victory also ended the playoff hopes of both Mumbai and Lucknow Super Giants in dramatic fashion.
The surface in Raipur created problems for batters throughout the evening. Deliveries from hard lengths either climbed awkwardly or stayed unusually low, making stroke play extremely risky. After choosing to field first, RCB immediately took advantage through an inspired spell from Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
The veteran seamer struck in the opening over when Ryan Rickelton mistimed a drive. He then delivered one of the finest balls of the season to dismiss Rohit Sharma with a knuckle ball that shaped away late. On the very next delivery, Suryakumar Yadav edged behind for a golden duck as Mumbai collapsed to 28 for 3 inside three overs.
Tilak and Dhir Lead Mumbai’s Recovery
Tilak Varma and Naman Dhir steadied the innings with a valuable partnership worth 82 runs from 57 deliveries. Dhir attacked whenever possible while Tilak paced the innings smartly. The pair slowly rebuilt the innings and appeared ready for a strong finish.
However, RCB fought back at the perfect moment. Dhir was undone by a delivery that stayed low, while Bhuvneshwar later removed Tilak in the death overs. Mumbai eventually lost momentum and managed only 11 runs in the final two overs as Josh Hazlewood and Rasikh Salam kept things tight.
Krunal Pandya Revives Bengaluru’s Chase
RCB’s chase also began badly. Virat Kohli departed for a golden duck, while Devdutt Padikkal and Rajat Patidar soon followed. At 39 for 3, Mumbai looked firmly in control of the contest.
Krunal Pandya then produced a superb counterattack. Promoted to number five, he handled the difficult conditions far better than anyone else at the crease. His confident shot selection against both spin and pace kept Bengaluru alive, while Jacob Bethell and Jitesh Sharma added important support from the other end.
Jitesh also played a useful cameo during the middle overs, helping reduce the pressure before Mumbai struck back through Corbin Bosch.
Dramatic Finish Seals RCB Victory
The match swung repeatedly during the closing overs. Bosch dismissed Jitesh Sharma and Tim David in consecutive deliveries, while Jasprit Bumrah delivered a brilliant nineteenth over that gave away just three runs. That left RCB needing 13 runs from the final over.
Raj Bawa almost defended the target successfully, but Bhuvneshwar Kumar changed the momentum with a vital six when nine runs were needed from three balls. The game finally came down to two required from the last delivery.
Rasikh Salam nudged the ball back towards the bowler and sprinted for a desperate second run. Bawa’s slight fumble proved costly as Rasikh completed a full length dive to make his ground and seal a memorable victory for Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
