IPL 2025: 4 Overs, 2 Wickets And 12 Dot Balls - How Krunal Pandya Turned The Final On Its Head

Royal Challengers Bengaluru have always been a team that relied on star batters - this is the same team that, for a number of years in the Indian Premier League, had Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle and AB de Villiers in the same playinge XI. But their maiden title win in the IPL 2025 came about thanks to the bowling of Krunal Pandya. (RCB vs PBKS Highlights) 

Before the season, there were some doubts over why RCB invested so heavily in Pandya - after the win vs Punjab Kings, there should be little doubt over why they chose to make him arguably their main spinner. 

Krunal's spell changed the game for RCB as up until he came on to bowl, PBKS were cruising to the title as they had made a very good start. 

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Pandya the Gamechanger

His first over of the game came right after the powerplay and gave away only 3 runs - and 3 dot balls, that were priceless in the scheme of things. 

In his second over, he got the big wicket of Prabhsimran Singh and once again was extremely economical, giving away just 4 runs. 

Amazingly, the first boundary he conceded came in the first ball of his 3rd over but he still gave away only 7 runs in that over - including 4 dot balls. 

His final over gave away only 3 runs and saw him snare the valuable wicket of Josh Inglis, who was threatening to take the game away from RCB. 

Overall, he bowled 12 dot balls and gave away just the one boundary while taking 2 wickets and choking the flow of runs from the PBKS batters. 

Secret to His Success

Pandya's biggest strength is the pace he can generate with his short run-up, but this game saw him do something different - look to bowl slower more often. 

"When we batted, we realised the slower you bowl the better it is. In this format, you need guts to do it. I just backed myself, thought I'll vary my pace and keep it on the slower side more often," he said after the match.

Indeed, his wicket of Prabhsimran came off the slowest ball he bowled and his variety in terms of speed kept the PBKS batters uncertain. 

Krunal was often seen as a utility player who could bat and bowl a bit, but his spin efforts became a key reason for RCB winning the title.