NEW DELHI – In a gripping encounter that had fans on the edge of their seats, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) clinched a thrilling 12-run victory over Mumbai Indians (MI) in the IPL 2025 match at the iconic Wankhede Stadium on Monday. This win marked the end of RCB’s decade-long drought at this venue, their first triumph here since 2015.
Batting first, RCB set a formidable target of 221/5, thanks to explosive half-centuries from captain Rajat Patidar, who scored a brisk 64 off 32 balls, and the ever-reliable Virat Kohli, who contributed 67 off 42. The innings was further bolstered by a late surge from Jitesh Sharma, who smashed an unbeaten 40 off just 19 deliveries, ensuring RCB finished on a high note.
In response, Mumbai Indians put up a valiant fight, reaching 209/9. A crucial 89-run partnership between Tilak Varma, who scored a quickfire 56 off 29 balls, and skipper Hardik Pandya, who made 42 off 15, kept MI in the chase. The game went down to the wire, with MI needing 19 runs off the final over. However, Krunal Pandya’s exceptional bowling performance, where he took 4 wickets for 45 runs, including three in the last over, sealed a memorable victory for RCB.
Rajat Patidar was awarded the Player of the Match for his match-winning knock and praised the RCB bowlers for their composure on a pitch that favored the batsmen. Hardik Pandya, reflecting on the loss, acknowledged that MI fell just short and commended Jasprit Bumrah’s efforts with the ball.
This victory propels RCB into the top three of the IPL 2025 points table, while MI continues to struggle, having lost four out of their first five games, now sitting at eighth place.
Brief Scores:
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: 221/5 in 20 overs (Rajat Patidar 64, Virat Kohli 67, Devdutt Padikkal 37, Jitesh Sharma 40*; Hardik Pandya 2/45).
Mumbai Indians: 209/9 in 20 overs (Tilak Varma 56, Hardik Pandya 42; Krunal Pandya 4/45).