Tilak Varma and Naman Dhir (X-IPL) A breathtaking late turnaround unfolded between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Mumbai Indians as the IPL 2026 clash in Raipur went to the final ball. With RCB needing 30 runs from the last three overs, the tension in the Bengal batsman was clear to see. Krunal Pandya was the only hope at the wicket while young spinner AM Ghazanfar was given the responsibility of bowling the crucial 18th over. The over started with a dot ball before utter chaos broke out in the second delivery. Krunal lifted the ball to wide long-on where Naman Dhir took a catch near the ropes and flicked it towards Tilak Varma to avoid stepping on the boundary cushion. But Tilak failed to get the baton purely due to a misunderstanding between the two fielders, leading to confusion among the MI players as to whether it should count as a six. For a few moments, even the fielders themselves looked uncertain. Tilak believed the ball went over the ropes during the relay attempt, while Naman insisted it stayed inside the boundary. Eventually, the third umpire confirmed that it was not a six, and as Krunal did not attempt the run, the dramatic sequence ended as a dot. But the missed opportunity still proved costly for Mumbai. Krunal responded immediately by smashing two massive sixes later in the over, going back to RCB and silencing the Mumbai camp. Just when it looked like the all-rounder might produce a stunning finish, Ghazanfar brought the crucial breakthrough in the last ball of the over. Krunal tried another big hit towards long-on but this time Tilak Varma pulled off a sensational juggle close to the ropes. Tilak ran sharply to his left, took the catch, lobbed the ball back into play just before crossing the boundary and, after re-entering the field, completed the catch at the second attempt. The stunning effort ended Krunal’s fighting knock of 73 off 46 balls, loaded with four boundaries and five sixes, with RCB needing 18 runs from the last 12 balls. The drama is still not over. Jasprit Bumrah then applied typical pressure in the 19th over, conceding just three runs and seemingly putting Mumbai in a winning position to reach the final over with RCB needing 15 runs. But Mumbai failed to close out the game. Youngster Raj Bawa could not save the target in the final over as RCB completed a thrilling victory on the very last ball of the match to complete one of the most dramatic finishes of IPL 2026.
