Raipur, May 10: Royal Challengers Bengaluru all-rounder Krunal Pandya got emotional after the last ball thriller in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 against his former franchise Mumbai Indians at Raipur on Sunday. Krunal got tears in his eyes while speaking about his bond with Kieron Pollard and Pandya brother's journey in Mumbai Indians after helping RCB beat MI.
After the thrilling match, Krunal appeared emotional during the interview as he spoke about the special connection he still shares with the Mumbai Indians franchise. The all-rounder admitted that playing against MI is never easy for him because he spent some of the best years of his IPL career with the team.
Speaking emotionally about Kieron Pollard, Krunal called him one of the greatest players in the format and said Pollard had shared many memorable moments with the Pandya brothers during their successful years with Mumbai Indians.
Krunal Pandya said he was struggling with severe cramps during his match-winning innings, with the pain starting in his calf before spreading to his glutes and back. He admitted that he usually does not bat for such a long period but wanted to keep fighting for the team in a difficult chase.
Krunal also praised Bhuvneshwar Kumar's crucial six in the final over and said the Raipur pitch was not easy for batting, adding that players had to stay patient and play proper cricket shots.
Krunal Pandya played an important match-winning knock of 73 runs from 46 balls with 4 fours and 5 sixes. Chasing a massive target of 204 runs, the match went on to the last ball of the final where RCB managed to score 15 runs from the last over to win the match.
