Bhuvneshwar Kumar of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.) NEW DELHI: Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) edged out Mumbai Indians by two wickets in a last-ball thriller of IPL 2026 with Bhuvneshwar Kumar emerging as the hero of the night. The veteran pacer first played with the ball by taking four crucial wickets, then surprised everyone by smashing a decisive six during the thrilling final moments of the chase.
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Why Suryakumar Yadav Will Lose India T20I Captaincy: Everything You Need To KnowRCB needed nine runs from the last three balls when Bhuvneshwar blasted Raj Angad Bawa over point for a six, swinging the game squarely in Bengaluru’s favour. It was a rare moment as Bhuvi’s last IPL sixth hit came in 2016 against Rising Pune Supergiants.Watch:After receiving the Man of the Match award, Bhuvneshwar admitted that sixes mean more to him than wickets. “The six for sure because I bowled many times. I also got a few wickets before. But yes, the six is the thing I enjoyed the most,” he said.Bhuvneshwar also spoke candidly about what keeps him consistently on top even at the age of 36.“Honestly, motivation is a very overrated word for me… But what keeps me going is discipline,” he said, while thanking his personal trainers and physical therapists for helping him stay fit.Krunal Pandya also played a huge role in the win with a fighting 73 off 46 balls on a difficult pitch. RCB captain Rajat Patidar praised both the players after the match.“I think… especially KP (Krunal Pandya). I think he is the man who has done it for the team,” Patidar said.Talking about Bhuvneshwar’s bowling, Patidar added, “I think the way he handled the ball… he is very difficult to play with.” The win moved RCB to the top of the IPL table while Mumbai Indians remained near the bottom of the table.
