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Royal Challengers Bengaluru batters chased the target set by Mumbai Indians on the final delivery bowled by Raj Angad Bawa and clinched a narrow win by 2 wickets. The result confirmed MI's playoff elimination.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar, center, celebrates after Royal Challengers Bengaluru won the match during the Indian Premier League cricket match against Mumbai Indians in Raipur, India.(AP)Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Suryakumar Yadav has explained his bold decision to hand the final over to young all-rounder Raj Angad Bawa during a tense IPL 2026 clash against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) that ended in a narrow defeat. Battling first, MI posted a total of 166/7 on a tricky pitch. RCB batters chased the target on the final delivery and clinched a win by 2 wickets. The result confirmed MI's playoff elimination.
What happened in the last of the RCB vs MI clash?
RCB needed 15 runs in the final over, and the drama began immediately as Raj Bawa started with a wide. Things got worse for MI when Bawa overstepped on the next ball, giving RCB a no-ball and a free-hit, although Romario Shepherd could manage only a single off it. A chaotic moment followed when Rasikh Salam Dar missed a wide delivery, but the batters still sneaked two wides and an extra run through sharp running. Bawa then bounced back with two dot balls and dismissed Shepherd for 4, caught by Tilak Varma at backward point, leaving RCB needing 9 off 3 balls.
With pressure mounting, Bhuvneshwar Kumar walked in and changed the game instantly. After collecting a wide, he smashed a stunning six over deep cover to bring the equation down to 3 needed off 2 balls. Bhuvneshwar then managed a single, leaving Rasikh Salam Dar needing two off the final delivery. Rasikh drilled the ball back past the bowler and sprinted back for the second run with a desperate dive at the striker’s end. Ryan Rickelton broke the stumps, but Rasikh had made his ground just in time as RCB sealed a thrilling victory in Raipur and knocked Mumbai Indians out of the playoff race.
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AI powered insights from this story
Suryakumar Yadav trusted Raj Bawa for the final over because the youngster had been practicing it consistently and showed significant improvement in his all-around game throughout the season.
Mumbai Indians were eliminated from the IPL 2026 playoffs after losing a close match to Royal Challengers Bengaluru by 2 wickets on the final ball, failing to chase a target of 166.
Raj Bawa's final over started with a wide and a no-ball, but he managed to take a wicket and reduce the required runs. However, Bhuvneshwar Kumar then hit a six, and RCB eventually secured the win.
Hardik Pandya was not cleared by the medical team to take the field for the match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, continuing his absence from the playing XI.
Following the defeat to RCB, Mumbai Indians are in 9th position on the IPL 2026 points table with 6 points from 11 matches, confirming their elimination from playoff contention.
Captain backs Raj Bawa’s death bowling skills
After the match, Suryakumar Yadav, the stand-in captain of the Mumbai Indians, explained the decision to choose Raj Bawa to bowl the crucial final over. Suryakumar expressed that he trusted Bawa for the last over because of the youngster’s consistent practice throughout the season. He noticed a huge improvement in Bawa’s all-around game this year compared to the previous one.
“On Raj Bawa being given the last over, I think he has been practising that really well throughout the season and last year also, and he was a completely different all-rounder when we saw him this year. So, going ahead with him with that one or two overs and also the last over taking that responsibility, almost pulled it off for us,” Suryakumar said after the match.
The skipper showed his support straight after the match by putting an arm around the young player.
Mumbai Indians on the IPL 2026 points table
After the loss, the Mumbai Indians sit in the 9th position of the IPL 2026 points table with just 6 points from 11 matches and an NRR of -0.585.
About the Author
Aachal Maniyar
Aachal Maniyar is a Senior Content Producer at LiveMint, where she covers US sports with a focus on major leagues, marquee events, and athlete-driven stories, while also reporting extensively on cricket and global sports. With over five years of first-hand journalism experience, she combines sharp editorial judgment with real-time sports storytelling across platforms. <br><br> Her reporting journey spans leading newsrooms including Thomson Reuters, India TV, BTVI, ET NOW, and CNBC TV18, where she has worked across breaking news, live match coverage, feature writing, interviews, video scripting, and anchoring. This multi-platform exposure has shaped her ability to deliver context-rich sports and business journalism tailored for both television and digital audiences. <br><br> Aachal has conducted and produced exclusive interviews with athletes and public figures such as India cricketer Dhruv Jurel, Indian women’s hockey captain Savita Punia, and industrialist Ratan Tata, along with several emerging and established sports personalities. Her body of work includes in-depth explainers, athlete profiles, emotionally resonant fan narratives, and data-backed match analysis across cricket, Olympic sports, and international competitions. <br><br> She holds a Master’s degree in Journalism from Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, Pune, and believes in reporting that is grounded in accuracy, clarity, and credibility. Her philosophy is simple: sports journalism should go beyond scores and statistics, capturing the human stories, pressure moments, and decisions that shape the game and the people who play it.
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