Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) all-rounder Krunal Pandya had his banter game on point ahead of the important Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 match against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday. The 35-year-old will face his younger brother Hardik, who is the captain of the five-time champions. Mumbai will look to avenge last year’s defeat, where RCB won thanks to a sensational final against Krunal.
Before the match against Mumbai Indians, Krunal took a shot at Hardik, shamelessly mocking the opponents, saying, “May the best team, which is RCB, win.” Krunal is no stranger to Mumbai as he spent his early years in the IPL with the five-time champions, forming a key part of their team.
Both Mumbai and Bengaluru come into the match on the back of losses against Rajasthan Royals, with both teams desperately looking for a change of fortune.
Krunal said that he is looking forward to his battle with Hardik and is ready for a heated competition in the middle as both the brothers are really competitive.
“Nothing changes. I mean, you know, we are both pretty good competitors, but in the end we are brothers, so we will give our all on the field. May the best team win, which is RCB,” Krunal Pandya said in a video shared on RCB’s official site.
‘Nostalgic atmosphere’
Wankhede rarely supports any team apart from the home team, Mumbai Indians, but RCB is a team that gets the crowd behind them largely due to the presence of Virat Kohli. And once again, Krunal expects several fans inside the stadium to cheer on the defending champions.
“Our next match is against Mumbai in Mumbai at Wankhede. We won the match against them in the last over last season. I was bowling in the final; it was a good match. It’s always special to play at Wankhede,” Krunal said.
“Every time I enter Wankhede, I feel a sense of nostalgia. The last time we were in Mumbai, we heard a chant: ‘RCB, RCB’. I hope there is a lot more support and we can give them a good show,” he added.
Mumbai Indians have played three matches in IPL 2026 so far, winning one and losing two. Meanwhile, RCB have won two and lost one.