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IPL 2026: Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) all-rounder Krunal Pandya showcased his injury scars following a match-winning 73 for his side against the Mumbai Indians (MI) on Sunday.

It was an innings of a lifetime for the Baroda all-rounder as he showcased immense grit, courage and calmness during a tricky 167-run chase at a spicy Raipur pitch, scoring 73 in 46 balls, with four boundaries and five sixes, while battling immense pain due to cramps.

Following the match, taking to Instagram, Krunal showcased his battle scars, saying, "Some scars are proof that it was worth fighting for."

This knock has been another fine display of hitting, with a calculative mind from Krunal this season, who has once again found his batting mojo this season, having scored 141 runs in six innings at an average of 35.50 and a strike rate of 150.00.

Coming to the match, RCB won the toss and opted to bowl first. The decision seemed to pay off when MI sunk to 28/3 within the powerplay courtesy of a Bhuvneshwar masterclass. However, Naman Dhir (47 in 32 balls, with five fours and two sixes) and Tilak Varma (57 in 42, with three fours and two sixes) built the innings with an 82-run stand, taking MI to 166/7 in 20 overs.

Bhuvneshwar (4/23) was the pick of the bowlers for RCB, with Josh Hazlewood (1/33) and Romario Shepherd (1/18 in three overs) also chipping in useful overs with the ball.

During the chase, RCB lost Virat Kohli (0) for a second successive golden duck and eventually sank to 39/3, with Deepak Chahar (2/33) dictating the game.

However, Krunal built a 55-run stand with Jacob Bethell (26 in 27 balls, with two fours) and another useful 38-run stand with Jitesh Sharma (18), reaching a brilliant counter-attacking fifty. However, Corbin Bosch (4/26) and Allah Ghazanfar (1/33) pulled off things with crucial wickets, removing Krunal as well, reducing RCB to 149/7 in 18 overs.

Romario Shepherd (4 in 11 balls), struggled against Jasprit Bumrah (0/20), leaving RCB with 12 to get in the final over. A flurry of extras from Raj Angad Bawa and a six from Bhuvneshwar helped ease the pressure despite Romario's dismissal, and RCB secured a last-ball win, with Rasikh Salam Dar (3*) hitting the winning runs.

With seven wins and four losses, RCB is at the top of the points table, with 14 points. MI is at the ninth spot with three wins and eight losses, eliminated from the playoff race along with Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).