Mumbai, March 30: The Mumbai Indians (MI) kicked off their IPL 2026 campaign with a resounding victory, defeating the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by six wickets at the Wankhede Stadium. Stellar performances from Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton propelled MI to success, while Shardul Thakur’s exceptional bowling earned him the ‘Player of the Match’ title.
After the match, Thakur expressed his excitement, stating, “Bowling the sixth over was a challenge. I enjoy challenges. Today’s performance was just that. Playing for Mumbai is special; I have both bitter and sweet memories here. I was a net bowler in 2010, and now I finally got to play for my home team, the Mumbai Indians. If I can stay here, I would be truly happy. The support from the management has been incredible.”
Thakur made a significant impact by taking three crucial wickets—Finn Allen, Ajinkya Rahane, and Cameron Green—while conceding 39 runs in his four overs.
Having played in the IPL since 2015, this was Thakur’s first opportunity to represent MI, and he made it count by leading his team to victory in their opening match. This win marks the first time MI has won their season opener since 2012.
In the match, KKR batted first after winning the toss, scoring 220 runs for the loss of four wickets. Captain Rahane was the standout performer with a score of 67 runs, while Ankur Raghuwanshi contributed 51 runs off 29 balls. Finn Allen and Rinku Singh added 37 and 33 runs, respectively.
In response, the Mumbai Indians chased down the target, scoring 224 runs for the loss of four wickets in just 19.1 overs. Rohit Sharma played a blistering innings of 78 runs off 38 balls, hitting six fours and six sixes, while Rickelton scored 81 runs off 43 balls, including eight sixes and four fours. The duo shared a remarkable partnership of 148 runs for the first wicket in 11.5 overs.
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