MI vs KKR Review: Mumbai dominate Kolkata to bag their first win
Mumbai Indians (MI) secured their first victory of IPL 2025 in great fashion, crushing Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by eight wickets at the Wankhede Stadium on Monday. The night saw MI completely outclass KKR in every department, especially with the ball, as they bundled out the defending champions for a mere 116 runs in 16.2 overs.
The star of the evening was MI’s debutant, Ashwani Kumar, who had a dream start to his IPL career. The left-arm pacer wreaked havoc, taking 4/24 and becoming the first bowler to grab a four-wicket haul on IPL debut. He began by dismissing Ajinkya Rahane on his very first ball. He then went on to remove Rinku Singh, Manish Pandey, and the dangerous Andre Russell, breaking the backbone of KKR’s innings.
MI’s bowlers kept putting pressure from the start. Trent Boult produced an absolute peach of a delivery in the first over to send Sunil Narine packing for a duck, while Deepak Chahar removed Quinton de Kock (1) in the following over. By the end of the powerplay, KKR were already struggling at 41/4, having also lost Venkatesh Iyer. Despite a fighting 26 from young Angkrish Raghuvanshi, KKR never recovered, as they were bowled out for 116.
In reply, MI’s batters made it look easy, reaching 121/2 in just 12.5 overs. Ryan Rickelton smashed an unbeaten 62 off 41 balls. He ensured there were no challenges despite an early scare when MI lost Rohit Sharma (13) in the sixth over.
Will Jacks (16) played a small cameo before falling to Russell, but by then, MI was already on the verge of the win. Suryakumar Yadav (27* off 9) played some of his signature shots to seal the win with a six. Russell (2/35) was the only bowler to pick wickets for KKR, but his efforts were in vain as MI wrapped up the match with more than seven overs to spare.
Top Performers of the Match
Ryan Rickelton (62 off 41)
After two disappointing outings with the bat, Ryan Rickelton finally made his bat do the talking as he scored his maiden IPL fifty to guide MI to their first win of the season. While his opening partner, Rohit Sharma, walked back early, Rickelton made sure to continue with his aggressive intent and remained unbeaten on 62 off 41, lacing his innings with four boundaries and five maximums at a strike rate of 151.21.
Ashwani Kumar (4/24)
MI’s young left-arm pacer Ashwani Kumar’s fiery spell helped MI bowl out KKR for just 116 in 16.2 overs, the lowest total this IPL season. The pacer made sure he kept bowling at a tight line and lengths which gave him the rewards. His performance placed him in a list alongside Alzarri Joseph and Andrew Tye, who also made sensational IPL debuts.
What’s next for both teams?
Mumbai Indians will be once again on the road as they are scheduled to lock horns with Lucknow Super Giants at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Friday, April 4. On the other hand, Kolkata Knight Riders’ next fixture is against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Thursday, April 03.
