MUMBAI – In a thrilling encounter at the Wankhede Stadium, 23-year-old left-arm pacer Ashwani Kumar announced his arrival in the Indian Premier League with a spell that will be etched in IPL lore. Facing the Kolkata Knight Riders on Monday night, Kumar’s nerves were palpable as he skipped lunch, settling instead for a mere banana. However, those nerves were nowhere to be seen when he took the field, leading Mumbai Indians to a commanding victory in IPL 2025.
Ashwani’s debut saw him dismantle the KKR batting lineup with a career-best figure of four for 24 in a devastating three-over spell. His performance not only earned him a spot among the most googled names in India but also propelled Mumbai Indians to their first win of the season, defeating KKR by eight wickets with 43 balls to spare.
Opting to field first, Mumbai shot out the defending champions for just 116 in 16.2 overs. Ashwani capitalized on early breakthroughs by senior pacers Deepak Chahar (two for 19 in two overs) and Trent Boult (one for 23 in four overs), claiming the crucial wickets of KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane, Rinku Singh, Manish Pandey, and Andre Russell. The home crowd’s excitement reached a fever pitch with each wicket, culminating in a deafening cheer as Ashwani completed his haul.
The highlight of Ashwani’s spell was a ‘jaffa’ that bamboozled Manish Pandey, striking the top of leg stump after he was caught at the crease. His captain, Hardik Pandya, guided him to bowl short and at the body, a tactic that proved immensely effective on the night.
Chasing the modest target, Mumbai’s innings was dominated by South African opener Ryan Rickelton’s unbeaten 62 off 41 balls, including four fours and five sixes. Suryakumar Yadav then finished the innings in style with an unbeaten 29 off just 9 balls, sealing the victory early in the 13th over with a scoop shot for six over the ‘keeper’s head.
A native of Jhanjeri, near Chandigarh, Ashwani’s path to the IPL has been swift but studded with notable performances, especially in the Sher-E-Punjab T20 Trophy. His development has been closely monitored by MI’s talent scouts and bowling coach, former Indian bowling coach Paras Mhambrey, who have been instrumental in his rise.
This match marks a significant turnaround for Mumbai Indians, who had started the season with two losses. Ashwani’s fairytale debut not only secured their first victory but also signaled the arrival of a promising new talent in the IPL arena.