New Delhi, May 11 (IANS) Former South Africa wicketkeeper-batter Mark Boucher showered praise on Krunal Pandya after the all-rounder’s gritty match-winning knock guided Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a dramatic two-wicket win over Mumbai Indians in their recent IPL 2026 clash.
On a difficult Raipur surface where stroke-making remained challenging throughout the evening, Krunal anchored RCB’s tense chase with a fighting 73 while wickets kept falling regularly at the other end. Battling cramps in the latter half of his innings, the left-hander combined resilience with calculated aggression to keep RCB alive before Bhuvneshwar Kumar completed the tense chase with a six in the final over.
Reflecting on the innings, Boucher described Krunal as the perfect player for difficult low-scoring contests.
“In low-scoring games, you need street fighters to win you matches. When I look at Krunal Pandya, I see a street fighter. He’s not always easy on the eye, but he finds a way. It’s like the dog in a fight, he just wouldn’t go down.” Boucher told JioStar.
RCB were under pressure for most of the chase after losing Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal and Rajat Patidar early. Mumbai Indians repeatedly clawed their way back into the game through Corbin Bosch and Jasprit Bumrah, but Krunal continued to absorb pressure while finding boundaries at crucial moments.
Mumbai had defended strongly despite setting a modest target of 166, with Bosch producing a sensational spell and Bumrah delivering a brilliant penultimate over that left RCB needing 15 off the last six balls. But Krunal’s earlier effort ensured Bengaluru remained within striking distance.
“I think Mumbai Indians showed some great intent. There was a lot of desperation, but they were really up against one man, and that was Krunal Pandya. He did his part brilliantly,” Boucher observed.
The former Proteas cricketer also highlighted Krunal’s physical struggle during the final stages of the innings. The all-rounder repeatedly needed treatment for cramps and at times appeared barely able to move between deliveries, yet continued to target the boundary effectively.
“At one point, it looked like he could barely stand anymore; he was just standing there swinging. And when he swung, most of the time, he hit the middle of the bat. This game has to go down as a massive tick for Krunal Pandya. He wanted it desperately; you could see it in his eyes,” Boucher added.
–IANS
vi/bc
