Royal Challengers Bengaluru climbed to the top of the points table after a dramatic last-ball thriller in Raipur. In the final over of the game, the hosts required 15 runs with Romario Shepherd and Rasik Salam Dar in the middle. However, the West Indies international failed to get the job done, leaving the job to Rasik and Bhuvneshwar Kumar.ย
The equation eventually came down to nine required from three deliveries. It looked difficult, especially when Raj Bawa managed to deceive the batters well in his first-ever over in the IPL. However, Bhuvneshwar was ready for any sort of challenge. Facing a wide yorker, Bhuvneshwar managed to get underneath the ball and send it soaring over deep cover for a six. Two deliveries later, a quick double completed the chase and confirmed victory for Bengaluru.
Bhuvneshwarโs POTM performance
Earlier in the match, Bhuvneshwar had already made a strong impact with the ball, returning figures of 4 for 23. His spell dismantled Mumbaiโs top order on a pitch that offered uneven pace and variable bounce. He struck early by removing Ryan Rickelton, then dismissed Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav in quick succession to leave MI struggling at 28 for 3 inside three overs.
He was eventually adjudged the Player of the Match. During the presentation, the pacer hilariously mentioned that he enjoyed the six much more than the four-wicket haul.
“Six, for sure, because I’ve bowled [well] many times before, I’ve taken a few wickets as well. But yeah, this is the thing I enjoyed the most,โ Bhuvneshwar said.
Bhuvneshwar reflects on tactical awareness and India ambition
Reflecting on his approach against Mumbaiโs top order, he highlighted tactical awareness and execution in key moments.
“I was being proactive [against Rohit]. I was thinking Rohit might step out because he has played me that way in the past. SKY [Suryakumar] was new to the crease. So I wanted to bowl the normal length ball, and it worked,โ he added.
Away from match-day heroics, Bhuvneshwar spoke about his approach to staying in form despite not featuring in international cricket since 2022, emphasising structure over inspiration.
“Honestly, motivation is a very overrated word for me. You read some quote, you watch some video, and you get motivated for a few minutes. But that fades away very quickly. The thing that keeps me going is discipline,โ he said
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