Mumbai Indians’ (MI) debutant pacer, Ashwani Kumar, had a fairytale start to his IPL career, taking 4/24 and playing a key role in MI’s dominant win over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Wankhede Stadium.
The 23-year-old left-arm seamer from Jhanjheri, Mohali, was named Player of the Match for his sensational bowling spell. Speaking about his dream debut, an emotional Ashwani said:
🗣️ Ashwani Kumar on his IPL Debut:
🔹 “It is a big thing for me that I got this opportunity and that I am getting this award. Never thought about this, just followed my process. Coming from Jhanjheri, Mohali, to here is the result of my hard work, and by God’s grace, I am here.”
🔹 “I was confident but also a little nervous thinking about what would happen.”
🔹 “I want to make all of you proud in the upcoming games.”
🏏 Match Summary: MI vs KKR (IPL 2025, Match 12)
🔥 Mumbai Indians won by 8 wickets
🏏 KKR: 116 all out (16.5 overs)
⭐ Ashwani Kumar (4/24) leads MI’s bowling attack
🏏 MI: 121/2 (12.5 overs)
💥 Ryan Rickelton (62), Suryakumar Yadav (27) finish in style**
How Ashwani Kumar Dismantled KKR:
✅ First IPL wicket: Ajinkya Rahane (11)
✅ Sent back KKR’s big hitters: Rinku Singh (17), Manish Pandey (19), Andre Russell (5)
✅ Three-over spell of 4/24 helped bowl out KKR for just 116
MI’s Key Takeaways from the Match:
✅ Ashwani Kumar’s sensational debut (4/24) 🤩
✅ Ryan Rickelton’s match-winning fifty (62)* 💥
✅ Suryakumar Yadav’s explosive 27 off 9 balls* 🚀
✅ Hardik Pandya’s leadership & MI’s strong team depth 👏
This win not only gave MI their first points of the season but also showed their depth in young Indian talent. Ashwani Kumar has arrived on the big stage—can he be MI’s next superstar? 🌟🔥