Mumbai Indians Dismantle KKR with Clinical Win; Kane Williamson and Piyush Chawla Laud Bowling Brilliance

Ashwani Kumar’s record-breaking debut and Rickelton’s composed knock power MI to first win of IPL 2025​

Mumbai, April 1 – Mumbai Indians (MI) delivered a resounding performance to register their first win of the season, crushing defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by eight wickets at the Wankhede Stadium. The standout of the match was debutant Ashwani Kumar, whose sensational four-wicket haul dismantled KKR for a mere 116 runs—a rare low total in the high-scoring landscape of the IPL.

New Zealand star Kane Williamson, speaking on JioHotstar, was all praise for Mumbai’s commanding display.

“It was a complete performance. Winning the toss, bowling first, and executing their plans beautifully,” Williamson said. “Bringing in an extra seamer, Ashwani, who was outstanding. They took wickets consistently, and that was the most pleasing aspect.”

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He added, “It’s not often nowadays, with the impact player rule, that you see a team prevent any substantial partnerships. But MI applied pressure throughout and were dominant in every phase.”

Ashwani Kumar Makes History on IPL Debut​

23-year-old Ashwani Kumar from Jhanjeri, Punjab, etched his name into the IPL record books by becoming the first Indian to claim four wickets on debut. He finished with figures of 4/24 in three overs, tearing through KKR’s top and middle order and leaving their star-studded lineup in disarray.

His clinical spell was complemented by a calm and composed unbeaten 62 by Ryan Rickelton, which helped MI chase down the target effortlessly.

Chawla Criticizes KKR’s Approach, Applauds Hardik Pandya​

Former India spinner Piyush Chawla weighed in on KKR’s underwhelming batting performance, highlighting poor shot selection and a lack of adaptation to the pitch conditions.

“Sometimes, you have to respect the conditions. It wasn’t a typical batting surface, especially with the new ball,” Chawla said. “Venkatesh Iyer struggled, playing too many fancy shots. Rinku Singh’s dismissal was particularly disappointing — there were still 8-10 overs left, and the team needed stability.”

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He pointed out that despite the presence of an impact player and batting depth till number nine, KKR couldn’t bat out the full 20 overs — a telling sign of their collapse.

On the other hand, Chawla commended MI skipper Hardik Pandya’s leadership, calling his captaincy “attacking and intelligent.”

“Hardik read the conditions well and used his seamers effectively. One move I liked was bringing in Vignesh against Harshit Rana late in the innings. And the decision to reintroduce Ashwani when a partnership was forming between Manish Pandey and Rinku Singh changed the course of the game.”

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Mumbai Indians Back on Track​

After starting their IPL 2025 campaign with two back-to-back losses, this dominant victory marked a strong comeback for the five-time champions. With Ashwani Kumar’s dream debut and Rickelton’s steady hand at the top, Mumbai now look well-poised to build momentum as the tournament progresses.