Krunal Pandya's Spectacular Performance in RCB's IPL 2025 Triumph
Tearful Hardik Pandya as Krunal Pandya delivers 9th IPL title in 11 years for their home.
In the exhilarating chaos that engulfed the RCB squad after their monumental IPL 2025 victory, the giddy celebration didn't fail to noticeably overlook one key player, none other than Krunal Pandya. A man of the hour, the Player of the match, and the game-changer, Krunal was bought by RCB for a whopping ₹5.75 crore. With a rich background as a former Mumbai Indians all-rounder who has tasted victory numerous times, Krunal undeniably utilized his experience to the fullest.
His four overs were nothing short of exceptional, giving up just 17 runs and snatching two crucial wickets, crushing the stubborn duo of Prabhsimran Singh and Josh Inglis. Krunal's strategic bowling exploits opened a can of worms that ultimately allowed RCB to overpower their opponents by a substantial six runs.
Krunal's victory serves not only him but his entire family, as the storied Pandya household now boasts a staggering nine IPL medals. Krunal's victory adds another feather to the already-crowned cap, which includes Hardik Pandya's five IPL titles. With four wins under the Mumbai Indians banner (2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020) and one with Gujarat Titans (2022), Hardik's tally stretches to five, while Krunal's success with Mumbai Indians (2017, 2019, and 2020) coupled with RCB's triumph now magnifies the Pandya family's wins to a remarkable nine.
Reflecting on his victory, Krunal shared his thoughts with Ravi Shastri while accepting the Player-of-the-Match award, stating, "I literally manifested it. It has been pretty good. 10 years, 4 IPL trophies. I told Hardik on the phone that in the Pandya household, there will be nine trophies in 11 years."
Emotional Hardik Pandya Reacts
Biting the bullet of a hard-fought loss, the Mumbai Indians unit suffered a heartbreaking defeat in the Qualifier 2, courtesy of the Punjab Kings. Despite the bitter taste left by the loss, Hardik's attention swiftly diverted to his brother's sensational performance, proclaiming his pride via an Instagram post, "In tears right now. Proud of you bhai."
Gutsy Krunal Details His Player-of-the-Match Performance
In a season inflated with seven 200-plus totals, well-equipped with several successful chases, RCB's 190/9 seemed like a modest target during the first innings. Matthew Hayden even shared his skepticism on air. However, as it transpired, it proved more than adequate.
The duo of Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh, who opened the inning, got off to a fiery start, accumulating 43 runs within the Powerplay. Nevertheless, once fatality began to set in, the tide began to turn against PBKS, and the comeback proved futile. Utilizing the sluggish surface to his advantage, Krunal combined varying pace with several charged-up deliveries to outwit the opposition.
"In this format, you need the courage to bowl slow. I just backed myself, thought I'd vary my pace and keep it on the slower side more often. My biggest strength has been to learn what the situation requires. I knew I had to be brave to get wickets tonight. Thought I'd do that by bowling slow. If you'd have bowled quick, it'd have been a good wicket. But if you mixed it up, it was tougher. Pitch actually got easier in the second innings," Krunal shared his tactics.
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Krunal Pandya's remarkable Player-of-the-Match performance, with his strategic bowling exploits, played a crucial role in Royal Challengers Bangalore's (RCB) IPL 2025 triumph, further increasing the Pandya family's tally of IPL medals, which includes Hardik Pandya's earlier five titles, mainly from the Mumbai Indians team.
RCB's 190/9 initially appeared a modest target, but Krunal's slow bowling tactics and varied pace proved effective against Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh of the Punjab Kings, limiting their powerful start and contributing to the eventual win.
