In Match 20 of the 2026 Indian premier league, the Royal challengers Bengaluru defeated the Mumbai Indians by 22 runs at the Wankhede stadium on April 12. Two of the giants of the game Hardik Pandya and Krunal Pandya faced one another once again. But, on this occasion, the battle was tense, with observers being able to sense friction between the two brothers.
Coming into bat at 74/2, with the five-time champions needing a whopping 167 to win off 73 balls, Hardik Pandya was welcomed with a bouncer by his elder brother Krunal in the following over. Krunal too was observed celebrating wildly when Hardik dropped Jacob Duffy..
The video can be seen here:
Fighting between Hardik and Krunal pic.twitter.com/MVEVlNSctP
— Anshul Rathaur (@anshul_rathaur_) April 12, 2026Since the end of the T20 World Cup, rumours of a rift between the two brothers have emerged as many took note of the fact that older brother Krunal failed to congratulate Hardik on his successful campaign.
Hardik, too, recently, did not wish his brother, Krunal, on social media on his birthday, which contributed to the rumors about the quality of their relationship. After the completion of the match, Krunal also did not go out to shake hands with Hardik, and the usual chat that the brothers tend to have after the game was missing as well.
Video is available here:
Krunal Pandya didn't went to shake hand with hardik Pandya.
Is everything normal between them??#hardikpandya #MIvRCB pic.twitter.com/WhxPKEwcZP
— impact player (@whypratik) April 12, 2026MI Fall Short Despite Rutherford’s Fighting Knock
A picture of the mother of Hardik and Krunal with Natasha Stankovic, the former wife of Hardik and the mother of his son was circulating on the social media of late, leading to the question of whether things have been going on in the deeper levels of the Pandaya family. Hardik, of late, has been spending his time with girlfriend Maheika Sharma.
On the subject of the game, with the Royal Challengers put in to bat, they made a mammoth 240/4, with an opening burst of 78 by Phil Salt, and a 53 with 20 balls by skipper Rajat Patidar. Mumbai started the chase on the back foot, losing wickets at regular intervals, but a late 31-ball 71 from Sherfane Rutherford helped them reduce the margin of loss to just 22 runs. It is the third defeat in four matches of Mumbai.
