RCB Edge MI by 2 Wickets in IPL 2026 Thriller: Bhuvneshwar’s 4/23 Seals Dramatic Chase
Royal Challengers Bengaluru won by 2 wickets against Mumbai Indians, chasing down 167 with a ball to spare at Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur. Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s four-wicket haul and last-over heroics turned the game on its head.
IPL 2026 playoff race heated up as RCB snapped a two-match skid to hit the top of the table, eliminating MI and hurting Lucknow Super Giants’ hopes.
How It Happened
Bhuvneshwar Kumar struck gold early. Ryan Rickelton out for 2 off 4 in the first over, then Rohit Sharma 22 off 10 and Suryakumar Yadav a duck—MI reeling at 28/3 after powerplay, their top order shattered in Raipur’s swing.
Naman Dhir fought back with 47, Tilak Varma made 50, pushing MI to 166/7 despite the damage. Krunal Pandya added 58 off 36 in a gritty recovery that kept RCB honest on a pitch offering turn later.
RCB stumbled chasing 167. Early wickets fell, pressure mounted with 12 needed off the final over and two in hand. Bhuvneshwar smashed 7 off 2 including a six, Rasikh Salam Dar scrambled 3 off 2—two runs on the last ball home.
Stadium silent then erupted. Nobody blinked.
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Scorecard / Match Stats
Mumbai Indians
| Batter | Dismissal | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan Rickelton (wk) | c Rajat Patidar b Bhuvneshwar Kumar | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
| Rohit Sharma | c Jitesh Sharma b Bhuvneshwar Kumar | 22 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 220.00 |
| Naman Dhir | b Rasikh Salam Dar | 47 | 32 | 5 | 2 | 146.88 |
| Suryakumar Yadav (c) | c Virat Kohli b Bhuvneshwar Kumar | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Tilak Varma | b Bhuvneshwar Kumar | 57 | 42 | 3 | 2 | 135.71 |
| Will Jacks | c Jacob Bethell b Romario Shepherd | 10 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Raj Bawa | c Rajat Patidar b Josh Hazlewood | 16 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 114.29 |
| Corbin Bosch | not out | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Deepak Chahar | not out | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
Extras: 6 (b 0, lb 3, w 3, nb 0, p 0)
Total: 166-7 (20 Overs, RR: 8.3)
Did not bat: Jasprit Bumrah, AM Ghazanfar
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | NB | WD | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bhuvneshwar Kumar | 4 | 0 | 23 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 5.80 |
| Josh Hazlewood | 4 | 0 | 33 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 8.20 |
| Rasikh Salam Dar | 4 | 0 | 42 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 10.50 |
| Romario Shepherd | 3 | 0 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6.00 |
| Krunal Pandya | 3 | 0 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8.70 |
| Suyash Sharma | 2 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10.50 |
Royal Challengers Bengaluru
| Batter | Dismissal | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|
| Batter | Dismissal | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jacob Bethell | c Tilak Varma b Corbin Bosch | 27 | 27 | 2 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Virat Kohli | c Raj Bawa b Deepak Chahar | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Devdutt Padikkal | c Ryan Rickelton b Deepak Chahar | 12 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 109.09 |
| Rajat Patidar (c) | c Ryan Rickelton b Corbin Bosch | 8 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Krunal Pandya | c Tilak Varma b AM Ghazanfar | 73 | 46 | 4 | 5 | 158.70 |
| Jitesh Sharma (wk) | c Naman Dhir b Corbin Bosch | 18 | 12 | 1 | 2 | 150.00 |
| Tim David | c Ryan Rickelton b Corbin Bosch | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Romario Shepherd | c Tilak Varma b Raj Bawa | 4 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 36.36 |
| Rasikh Salam Dar | not out | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 150.00 |
| Bhuvneshwar Kumar | not out | 7 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 350.00 |
Extras: 15 (b 0, lb 3, w 11, nb 1, p 0)
Total: 167-8 (20 Overs, RR: 8.35)
Did not bat: Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | NB | WD | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deepak Chahar | 4 | 0 | 33 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 8.20 |
| Jasprit Bumrah | 4 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5.00 |
| Corbin Bosch | 4 | 1 | 26 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 6.50 |
| Will Jacks | 2 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6.50 |
| AM Ghazanfar | 3 | 0 | 33 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 11.00 |
| Raj Bawa | 3 | 0 | 39 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 13.00 |
Star Performer
Bhuvneshwar Kumar owned this match. His 4/23 ripped through MI’s batting—three top-order scalps in powerplay left them 28/3, then Tilak Varma’s key blow later stopped any momentum cold.
Batting? He walked in with 12 off last over needed. Six off Deepak Chahar, then a single—calm under fire, finishing 7* off 2 to ease Rasikh’s winning nudge. Player of the Match no debate; one man swung it.
The Turning Point
Bhuvneshwar’s powerplay burst—Rickelton, Rohit, Suryakumar gone for 28/3 in 3 overs. MI never recovered fully; from hunting 200 to scrambling 166/7, chase suddenly in RCB’s grasp.
What This Means
RCB top the IPL 2026 table now, playoff bound strong. MI out, campaign ends; their next is dead rubber.
The Bottom Line
Bhuvneshwar’s swing and nerve won it—pure edge-of-seat stuff that buries MI.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Who won MI vs RCB IPL 2026 54th match?
A: Royal Challengers Bengaluru by 2 wickets (MI 166/7, RCB 167/8).
Q: Who was the Player of the Match?
A: Bhuvneshwar Kumar (4/23 bowling, 7* off 2 batting).
Q: What is the current IPL 2026 standing?
A: RCB top after this win; MI eliminated.
References
Cricbuzz — RCB vs MI, 54th Match Scorecard — https://www.cricbuzz.com/live-cricket-scores/152097/mi-vs-rcb-54th-match-indian-premier-league-2026
ESPNcricinfo — RCB eliminate MI after tense finish — https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/ipl-2026-1510719/royal-challengers-bengaluru-vs-mumbai-indians-54th-match-1529297/match-report
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