Royal Challengers Bengaluru defeated Mumbai Indians by 22 runs in Match 20 of the Indian Premier League 2026 at the Wankhede Stadium on April 12.
The match grabbed attention not just for the result but also for the on-field moment between brothers Hardik Pandya and Krunal Pandya. The two faced each other in a tense situation. Fans and experts noticed some visible friction between them.
Tense On-Field Battle Raises Questions
Mumbai were struggling at 74/2 when Hardik came in to bat. The team needed 167 runs from 73 balls. In the next over, Krunal bowled a sharp bouncer to his younger brother. It looked aggressive and intense.
Krunal later celebrated strongly when Hardik was dismissed by Jacob Duffy. The moment quickly went viral on social media.
There have been rumours about a rift between the brothers. These talks started after the T20 World Cup. Many noticed that Krunal did not publicly congratulate Hardik. Hardik also did not wish Krunal on his birthday online.
After the match, fans saw that the two did not share a handshake. They also did not have their usual post-match chat. This added more fuel to the rumours.
Recently, a picture of their mother with Natasa Stankovic also went viral. She is Hardik’s ex-wife and the mother of his child. Reports also say Hardik has been spending time with girlfriend Maheika Sharma.
Talking about the match, RCB scored a huge 240/4. Phil Salt made 78 runs. Captain Rajat Patidar smashed 53 off just 20 balls.
Mumbai struggled in the chase. However, Sherfane Rutherford scored a quick 71 off 31 balls. It helped reduce the margin. Still, Mumbai lost their third match in four games.
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