Five-time IPL title winners Mumbai Indians (MI) won their first match in IPL 2025, making a strong comeback after two consecutive losses. The team showed absolute dominance with both bat and ball, winning against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by 8 wickets in a one-sided match.
Debutant Ashwani Kumar stole the day with his mesmerizing bowling, breaking KKR's batting line-up. Mumbai's bowling line-up gave a combined performance to limit Kolkata to only 116 runs. Afterwards, Ryan Rickelton's destructive batting helped Mumbai to an easy chase, finishing the game in 12.5 overs.
This was Kolkata's second loss in the tournament.
Mumbai's All-Round Brilliance Seals Victory
Mumbai Indians put on a strong all-round show, easily dominating KKR in each department. Their bowlers, Ashwani Kumar (4/24), Deepak Chahar (2/19), and Trent Boult (1/23) leading the way, limited KKR to a subpar score of 116 in 16.2 overs.
Top scorer for KKR: Raghu Vamsi (26 runs off 16 balls, 3×4, 1×6)
Top performer for MI: Ryan Rickelton (62* off 41 balls, 4×4, 5×6)
Mumbai chased down the target in just 12.5 overs, losing only two wickets.
Rickelton’s Blazing Knock Secures Mumbai’s Win
Chasing a small target, Mumbai Indians dominated from the start. Opener Ryan Rickelton led the charge with a blistering knock, smashing Kolkata’s bowlers all over the field.
- Opening Partnership: Rickelton and Rohit Sharma started steadily. Though Rohit (13) fell early, Rickelton continued aggressively.
- Explosive Batting: Rickelton started his innings carefully but went on to unleash boundaries and sixes.
- Partnerships: Following Rohit's fall at 46/1 in the 6th over, Rickelton was accompanied by Will Jacks (16 of 17, 1×6).
- Half-century in Style: Rickelton achieved his fifty in 33 balls, displaying his power-hitting capabilities.
Once Jacks fell, Suryakumar Yadav (27 of 9, 3×4, 2×6)* facilitated a smooth finish, taking Mumbai to 121/2 in 12.5 overs.
Kolkata's Batting Collapse
KKR fought from the beginning but were unable to cope with the bowling of Mumbai. The wickets fell early, and the team was never back on track.
Key Moments in KKR's Batting Collapse:
- Top-order Failure: Both the openers of Kolkata were lost with only 2 runs on the board.
- Ashwani Kumar's Dream Debut: The pacer got rid of Manish Pandey, Rinku Singh, and Andre Russell, claiming 4 wickets for just 24 runs.
- Venkatesh Iyer's Struggles Continue: Bought for ₹23.75 crore, he once again fell short, scoring only 3 runs.
Contributions were small from Raghu Vamsi (26), Rinku Singh (17), and Manish Pandey (19), as Kolkata collapsed for 116 runs in 16.2 overs.
Score Summary
Kolkata Knight Riders Innings (116 all out, 16.2 overs)
- Top Scorers:
- Raghu Vamsi – 26 (16 balls, 3×4, 1×6)
- Manish Pandey – 19 (b Ashwani Kumar)
- Rinku Singh – 17 (c Naman Dhir, b Ashwani Kumar)
- Fall of Wickets: 1-1, 2-2, 3-25, 4-41, 5-45, 6-74, 7-80, 8-88, 9-99
- Bowling Performance:
- Ashwani Kumar – 3-0-24-4
- Deepak Chahar – 2-0-19-2
- Trent Boult – 4-0-23-1
Mumbai Indians Innings (121/2, 12.5 overs)
- Top Scorers:
- Ryan Rickelton – 62* (41 balls, 4×4, 5×6)
- Suryakumar Yadav – 27* (9 balls, 3×4, 2×6)
- Will Jacks – 16 (17 balls, 1×6)
- Fall of Wickets: 1-46, 2-91
- Bowling Performance:
- Andre Russell – 2.5-0-35-2
- Varun Chakravarthy – 3-0-12-0
Tags Cloud
