Mumbai Indians secured a commanding eight-wicket victory over Kolkata Knight Riders in a thrilling IPL encounter at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The match, which took place on Monday, was dominated by the stellar performances of debutant Ashwani Kumar and the unbeaten knock of Ryan Rickelton.
Ashwani Kumar, a 23-year-old left-arm seamer from Jhanjeri, Punjab, made history by becoming the first Indian to claim four wickets on his IPL debut. His figures of 4/24 in three overs were instrumental in dismantling KKR’s batting lineup. Kumar’s victims included Ajinkya Rahane, Rinku Singh, Manish Pandey, and Andre Russell, showcasing his ability to make an immediate impact at the highest level.
Despite having limited experience with just four senior T20s, four List A games, and two Ranji Trophy matches under his belt, Kumar’s performance underlined Mumbai’s bowling prowess. He was ably supported by Deepak Chahar (2/19), Trent Boult (1/23), and Hardik Pandya (1/10), as KKR were bowled out for a paltry 116 in 16.2 overs.
In response, Mumbai’s chase was briefly disrupted by the early dismissal of captain Rohit Sharma for 13. However, Ryan Rickelton stepped up, scoring an unbeaten 62 off 41 balls, including four fours and five sixes, to anchor the innings. His maiden IPL fifty was complemented by an explosive 9-ball 27* from Suryakumar Yadav, which included a match-sealing six, helping Mumbai reach the target in just 12.5 overs with 7.1 overs to spare.
The match also saw early breakthroughs from Boult and Chahar, who removed KKR openers Quinton de Kock and Sunil Narine within the first two overs. Angkrish Raghuvanshi provided some resistance with a score of 26, but his dismissal by Hardik Pandya sealed KKR’s fate.
Brief Scores:
Kolkata Knight Riders: 116 all out in 16.2 overs (Angkrish Raghuvanshi 26; Ashwani Kumar 4/24).
Mumbai Indians: 121 for 2 in 12.5 overs (Ryan Rickelton 62 not out; Andre Russell 2/35).