Ashwani Kumar Shines in MI's Dominant Win Over KKR
Mumbai Indians posted a convincing eight-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders in their IPL 2025 encounter at the Wankhede Stadium, as debutant Ashwani Kumar stole the spotlight with a miraculous four-wicket haul. Pursuing a paltry total of 117, MI romped home in just 12.4 overs to record their opening win of the season in authoritative style.
Choosing to bat first, Kolkata Knight Riders had a horror start as Trent Boult sent Sunil Narine packing for a duck off the very first ball. Deepak Chahar followed up by sending back Quinton de Kock (1) off the second over, leaving KKR at 2/2. Skipper Ajinkya Rahane (11) attempted to settle the innings but fell victim to Ashwani Kumar's first wicket, giving the debutant a dream beginning. Kumar went on a rampage, destroying KKR's middle order with ease. He sent back Rinku Singh (17), Manish Pandey (19), and Andre Russell (5) in rapid succession, leaving KKR reeling at 80/7. Angkrish Raghuvanshi (26 off 16) was the lone batter who showed some grit, but he too was out of luck as the lower order did not fire. KKR folded up for 116 all out in 16.2 overs.
Ashwani Kumar completed on stunning totals of 4/24 in his three-over stint, being the first Indian to record a four-wicket haul on an IPL debut. Boult (1/23), Chahar (2/19), and Hardik Pandya (1/10) added excellent depth, preventing KKR from building momentum.
Mumbai Indians' chase was free from nervous moments from the word go. Rohit Sharma (13) and Ryan Rickelton (62*) opened steadfastly, putting on a calm start to it all. Sharma fell to Andre Russell in the sixth over, but his dismissal did little to disrupt MI’s dominance. Will Jacks (16) chipped in with a short cameo before also falling to Russell, leaving MI at 87/2. However, Rickelton remained composed, anchoring the chase with an unbeaten 62 off 41 balls. He was joined by Suryakumar Yadav (21*) at the crease and went about wrapping up the game in style, as MI easily reached the target in 12.4 overs.
Russell was the only KKR bowler to make an impact, picking up both wickets to finish with figures of 2/29 in 2.4 overs. The match, however, belonged to Ashwani Kumar, whose dream debut dismantled KKR’s batting lineup and set the tone for MI’s convincing win. For his match-winning performance, Kumar was named Player of the Match.
With this win, Mumbai Indians started their account in IPL 2025, registering a well-balanced performance both with bat and ball. In contrast, KKR will have to re-strategize after an underwhelming performance. MI will host Chennai Super Kings next, while KKR will look to stage a comeback in their next match against Delhi Capitals.
