The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season continues to produce unforgettable moments both on and off the field, and a thrilling clash between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Mumbai Indians (MI) added another emotional chapter to the tournament. While the high-pressure contest had fans glued to their screens till the very end, it was the heartfelt post-match interview from Krunal Pandya that truly struck a chord with cricket lovers across the country.

Having played a match-winning knock against his former franchise, Krunal found himself overwhelmed with emotions as memories of his glorious Mumbai Indians journey came rushing back. The veteran all-rounder, who represented MI from 2016 to 2021, opened up about the special bond he shared with his teammates during the most successful phase of his IPL career.

Krunal Pandya recalls Kieron Pollard and Hardik Pandya era after emotional MI reunion

In a touching post-match interaction, Krunal could barely hide his emotions as he reflected on his unforgettable years with the Mumbai Indians. The RCB all-rounder played a fighting innings of 73 off just 46 deliveries despite battling cramps, guiding Bengaluru to a dramatic victory that pushed MI further towards the brink of elimination from the IPL 2026 playoff race.

However, it was his emotional tribute to Kieron Pollard, Hardik Pandya, and the Mumbai Indians dressing room culture that stole the spotlight. Speaking during the post-match interview, Krunal said:

“Polly is my big brother. I had my best six years at MI. I remember the Pandya brothers and Kieron Pollard were the engine room. We won a lot of games with bat, ball and fielding. I still remember in 2021 when we were playing our last game, the three of us held each other’s hand and felt like okay, this is the last time we’ll be able to play together.”

Krunal further hailed Pollard as the “GOAT of this format” and praised him not just as a cricketer but also as a human being who played a massive role in shaping MI’s winning culture over the years. He even fondly remembered Pollard’s famous motivational line, which was “You can’t keep a good man down.”

Here’s the video:

Bonds that are 𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗹 ❤️🫂💙

🎥 Heartwarming words from Krunal Pandya that hit you right in the feels as he remembers his time at @mipaltan 🫶#TATAIPL | #KhelBindaas | #RCBvMI | @krunalpandya24 | @RCBTweets pic.twitter.com/ifNpKSRnU3

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 10, 2026

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RCB climb to top of the table after winning last-ball thriller against MI

While the emotional post-match scenes stole the spotlight, the on-field contest turned into one of the most dramatic games of IPL 2026. Royal Challengers Bengaluru secured a thrilling two-wicket win over the Mumbai Indians in Raipur to climb to the top of the points table, while MI’s playoff hopes came to an end.

Mumbai Indians posted 166/7 after recovering from an early collapse through important knocks from Tilak Varma (57) and Naman Dhir (47). Bhuvneshwar Kumar starred with the ball for RCB, picking up four crucial wickets, including Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav.

In reply, RCB lost wickets regularly and were reduced to 39/3 inside the powerplay. However, a fighting 73 off 46 balls from Krunal kept Bengaluru in the chase despite severe cramps. The match eventually went down to the final ball, where RCB completed a nervy second run to seal a memorable victory.

Also READ: IPL 2026 [WATCH]: Rasikh Salam rattles Naman Dhir’s stumps with a peach in the RCB vs MI showdown