Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) all-rounder Krunal Pandya has become a tricky customer to deal with. The left-hander has reached new heights of innovation with the ball, using side-arm action and even bouncers as a weapon against batters. As RCB took on the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Friday, Krunal’s action and bowling style left Kavya Maran puzzled. The SRH owner, sitting in the stands, seemingly asked how such a style of bowling is even allowed.
Maran was quite animated on the sidelines after seeing Krunal test her team’s batters with bouncers and side-arm action. Maran’s gesture even made fans wonder if she was questioning Krunal’s action.
Kavya Maran reaction to Krunal Pandya bowling action was priceless
She didn’t look happy with it.
“What is this, brother?” expression was too funny pic.twitter.com/WYPeU4Nbsj— Rohan (@rohann__45) May 22, 2026
Fortunately for SRH, Krunal failed to make much of a difference. In fact, he went on to concede 24 runs in just two overs he bowled, while picking up a solitary wicket. Krunal was also quite handy with the later in the game, scoring 41 runs off 31 balls, yet RCB went on to lose the contest by 55 runs.
55-Run Defeat Not A Problem For RCB
For RCB, strangely enough, the defeat carried little damage. They still secured a top-two finish and closed the league stage at the top of the table. But while the visitors could afford to look ahead to the playoffs, SRH seized the moment to make a statement of their own. And what a statement it was.
Abhishek Sharma lit the fuse almost instantly. There was no caution, no feeling-out period — just pure aggression. His breathtaking 56 off 22 balls, packed with towering sixes and audacious strokeplay, set the tone for the carnage that followed. Beside him, Travis Head added another burst of chaos with a rapid cameo before the innings found its heartbeat in Ishan Kishan.
Kishan’s 79 off 46 deliveries was more than just an innings of power. It was controlled destruction. He pierced gaps effortlessly, manipulated the field with ease, and punished anything remotely loose. Just when RCB seemed desperate for the innings to slow down, Heinrich Klaasen walked in and ensured the nightmare continued.
Klaasen’s brutal 51 off 24 balls felt like the final act of a perfectly scripted assault. By the time Nitish Kumar Reddy added the finishing touches with an unbeaten 29 off 12 deliveries, Hyderabad had transformed the stadium into a launchpad.
RCB’s bowlers had no answers. Every frontline option leaked runs at more than 12 an over. Length balls disappeared. Yorkers missed. Even good deliveries were punished. Only Rasikh Salam escaped with a semblance of control, picking up two wickets amid the wreckage.
With PTI Inputs
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