[Watch] Fans chant 'RCB, RCB' to greet new signing during SMAT 2024-25 quarterfinal at Chinnaswamy Stadium

The faithful Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) fanbase in Bengaluru welcomed their new signing, Krunal Pandya, during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy quarter-final clash between Baroda and Bengal at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday, December 11. The all-rounder was roped in by the franchise during the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) Auction in Jeddah last month.

Baroda captain Krunal Pandya was released by the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) after the 2024 campaign. The left-arm all-rounder was a lucrative option based on his skillset and experience, and entered the auction with a base price of INR 2 crore.

RCB made their intentions known by making the first bid, and overcame the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in an intense bidding war to acquire the services of the player for INR 5.5 crore.

The signing has been well-received by fans, who made their noise heard in Bengaluru to support the latest member of their pride by chanting "RCB, RCB". Have a look at fans cheering for Pandya at the Chinnaswamy Stadium right here:

Pandya was the seventh-most expensive player that RCB acquired at the auction amid their rebuild. The franchise had retained only three players after the 2024 season, namely the likes of Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar and Yash Dayal.

RCB's Krunal Pandya bowled a tight spell to guide Baroda into the semi-finals

Pandya failed to impress in the first innings after being put into bat first. Coming into bat at No. 5, he perished for 7 runs off 11 deliveries. Baroda posted 172-7 courtesy of a series of cameos.

The skipper led from the front with the ball, taking the initiative in the middle overs to finish for 0-13 off three overs at an economy of 4.30. The fact that the spinner did not concede a single boundary at RCB's home venue despite the short boundaries comes across as a huge boost for the franchise, given that they have struggled to control the middle phase of the innings in recent seasons.

With the left-arm spinner putting the pressure in the middle overs, Bengal stumbled in the run-chase, eventually being bowled out for 131 runs in 18 overs.