Hardik Pandya vs Krunal Pandya: The Wankhede Stadium has seen its fair share of high-drama moments over the years, but the MI vs RCB IPL 2026 clash on 12 April 2026 added a chapter that wasn't just about cricket. RCB posted a massive 240/4, powered by explosive hitting from Phil Salt and skipper Rajat Patidar, before holding Mumbai Indians to 222/5, but the final score felt like a sideshow compared to the tension between two brothers on opposite sides of the field. Rumours of a rift between Hardik Pandya and Krunal Pandya first started during India's 2026 T20 World Cup celebrations in Ahmedabad. Krunal Pandya and his wife, Pankhuri, reportedly skipped the stadium event, and Krunal didn't post a single congratulatory message for his brother on social media. Those whispers got even louder at Wankhede. During the chase, Krunal bowled a tight middle-overs spell and got Suryakumar Yadav out for a quick 33, swinging the game in RCB's favour. What really caught everyone's eye wasn't just the wicket, but the celebration. Krunal pumped his fists and roared with an intensity that felt personal, far from the usual professional courtesy you’d expect when bowling to your own brother. Clips and reports quickly flooded social media, with fans pointing out that there was no post-match chat, no hug on the field, and no quiet word between the two, just two men walking off in opposite directions. Before the match, Krunal told reporters that nothing had changed between brothers, but his body language on the night told a completely different story.

Hardik Pandya vs Krunal Pandya: The personal storm behind the professional rivalry

To understand what happened at Wankhede, you have to look past the boundary ropes and into the messier chapters of Hardik's personal life. Hardik Pandya and Natasa Stankovic officially announced they were splitting in July 2024, ending their four-year marriage and agreeing to co-parent their son, Agastya. Those close to the couple suggested that Natasa found it hard to keep up with Hardik’s high-energy personality, eventually realising they had simply grown too far apart. Rohit Sharma Injury Update: Is He Out From IPL 2026? What happened after the divorce, though, sparked even more talk. Hardik confirmed in early 2026 that he was dating model Mahieka Sharma, after the two were first spotted together in late 2025. Social media users were quick to link Hardik's new relationship to the distance growing between him and his brother’s family. Fans noticed that after the split, Krunal and his wife were still seen out with Natasa, while Hardik was increasingly pictured at events with Mahieka. The optics, whether they meant it or not, seemed to draw a line right through the family. Neither Hardik nor Krunal has spoken about the rift directly, but the silence is doing all the talking for fans who scan every post and appearance for clues. Cricket usually mirrors real life, and at Wankhede on Sunday night, the Pandya brothers gave India a lot more to talk about than just the scorecard.