Ashwani Kumar’s Dream IPL Debut for Mumbai Indians
Mumbai Indians’ young left-arm fast bowler, Ashwani Kumar, had a memorable IPL debut against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Monday at the Wankhede Stadium.
The 23-year-old pacer made an instant impact by taking a wicket on his very first ball in the IPL. He dismissed KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane in the fourth over, becoming the fourth MI bowler to achieve this rare milestone.
MI Bowlers Who Took a Wicket on Their First Ball in IPL
- Ali Murtaza vs RR, 2010 (Naman Ojha)
- Alzarri Joseph vs SRH, 2019 (David Warner)
- Dewald Brevis vs RCB, 2022 (Virat Kohli)
- Ashwani Kumar vs KKR, 2025 (Ajinkya Rahane)
Ashwani’s first IPL wicket came after a stunning catch by Tilak Varma, who fumbled at first but then took a brilliant one-handed catch at deep backward point.
A spell straight out of dreams! 🔮✨
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) March 31, 2025
Ashwani delivers the best figures by an Indian bowler on debut! 🤯#MumbaiIndians #PlayLikeMumbai #TATAIPL #MIvKKR pic.twitter.com/XXAH7o5qID
Who is Ashwani Kumar?
Ashwani comes from Jhanjeri, a small town near Chandigarh. He has played for Punjab in first-class, List A, and T20 cricket. Before his IPL debut, he had played only four senior T20 matches, along with two Ranji Trophy and four List A games.
But he stunned the cricketing world by taking four wickets in his very first IPL match! He finished with figures of 4/24 in 3 overs, making him the first Indian player to take four wickets on IPL debut.
Ashwani Kumar’s Best Bowling Figures
- IPL (2025): 4/24 (vs KKR)
- List A Cricket: 3/37
- T20 Cricket: 1/19
This was the first time in his career that Ashwani took four wickets in a single match.
His dream debut has strengthened Mumbai Indians’ bowling attack, and he will be an important player to watch in this IPL season.
KKR’s Struggle Against MI
After MI captain Hardik Pandya won the toss and decided to bowl first, KKR struggled. They were bowled out for just 116 runs in 16.2 overs, with Ashwani’s brilliant bowling setting the stage for MI’s dominant performance.
