‘My big brother’: Krunal Pandya emotional on Kieron Pollard and Hardik era after RCB knock MI out of IPL 2026 originally appeared on Cricket News.
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KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Krunal Pandya scored 73 to guide RCB past MI.
- He broke down on air while speaking about Kieron Pollard and his MI years.
- The win pushed RCB to the top of the table and ended Mumbai’s IPL 2026 campaign.
Krunal Pandya’s gets emotional voice breaks on air after hurting MI in Raipur
A match-winning innings against his former franchise left Royal Challengers Bengaluru star Krunal Pandya visibly emotional as he spoke about Kieron Pollard and six unforgettable years with Mumbai Indians.
RCB were chasing 167 and found themselves in a hole during the powerplay with Virat Kohli gone for another duck, and Rajat Patidar and Devdutt Padikkal departing soon after.
Krunal was promoted to number five, walked in and took control. He finished with 73 off 47 balls on a tricky wicket and helped RCB scrape home in a two-wicket thriller sealed off the final delivery. The victory pushed his side to the summit of the IPL 2026 table and confirmed the end of MIs’ campaign.
MORE: Did Hardik unfollow MI on social media?
What did Krunal Pandya say about Kieron Pollard?
Krunal spent six seasons, 2016-2021 at MI and won three IPL titles during that period.
Alongside his brother Hardik and the towering presence of Kieron Pollard, Krunal formed part of what he described as MI’s engine room.
“Polly (Kieron Pollard) is my big brother. I have spent my best six years at Mumbai Indians. I remember Kieron Pollard and the Pandya brothers being the engine room there,” Krunal Pandya said on the broadcast.
“We won a lot of games with bat, ball and fielding. I still remember in 2021 when we were playing our last game, we held three of us, we held each other’s hands, and we felt like, okay, this is the last time we’ll be able to play together, and yeah, it was obviously an emotional moment again, but I love Kieron Pollard. (Krunal’s voice cracks as he gets emotional) I mean, he’s a terrific human being, GOAT of this format, won so many trophies, so many games. And yeah, as they say, you’re right, Polly always used to tell me that you can’t keep a good man down.”
Bishop noticed that Krunal got emotional and chose to respond with quiet grace.
“I hear your voice cracking. So, I apologise for that. I will let you go now,” Bishop said.
MORE: MI’s IPL 2026 playoff chances: Qualification scenarios, wins and points required
The Cricket News Opinion: Krunal was at his absolute best against MI
Krunal’s relationship with Mumbai Indians was not simply about cricket. It was where he grew as a player, where he won the biggest prizes the IPL offers, and where he built some of his deepest friendships in the game.
Playing a decisive role in eliminating MI from the IPL weighed heavily on him. Statistics will record that Krunal scored 73 and helped RCB win a tight IPL match.
What the statistics will never capture is the look on his face as he spoke about Pollard, or the crack in his voice when the words got heavier than he expected. He performed under pressure and then struggled to contain what that performance actually means to him.
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