Mumbai Indians are renowned for showcasing emerging talents, from Jasprit Bumrah to Tilak Varma. Their latest find is Ashwani Kumar, who made a stunning debut by taking 4 wickets for 24 runs in his first IPL match.
Ashwani Kumar hails from Mohali, Punjab and has made history as the first Indian to achieve a four-wicket haul on his IPL debut. He began his cricketing career in Punjab, where the left-arm seamer gained recognition in the Sher-E-Punjab tournament. He made his debut for Punjab in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in 2022, playing four matches and taking three wickets with an economy rate of 8.5 runs per over.
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In addition to his performances in the T20 format, Ashwani played two Ranji Trophy matches and four first-class matches for Punjab. He was a part of the Punjab Kings squad for the 2024 IPL but, unfortunately did not get a chance to play. The Mumbai Indians acquired him for ₹30 lakhs in the 2025 Mega Auction after their scouts were impressed by his performances in the Sher-E-Punjab tournament.
In the match against Kolkata Knight Riders, he replaced Sathyanarayanan Raju in the playing XI. Ashwani claimed his first wicket by dismissing KKR Captain Ajinkya Rahane, who mistimed a shot. He then went on to take the wickets of Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, and Manish Pandey, with two of his four dismissals resulting in the stumps flying.
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His outstanding bowling spell was instrumental in restricting Kolkata Knight Riders to 116 runs all out in 17 overs. Following this, Ryan Rickelton scored 62 runs off 41 balls, and Suryakumar Yadav provided a finishing touch with 27 runs off just 9 balls, helping the Mumbai Indians get their season off to a strong start with two points in the bag.
With Jasprit Bumrah currently unable to play, the Mumbai Indians have uncovered another gem in Ashwani Kumar. They surely are pleased to kick off their home tournament on a high note. Stay tuned for more live IPL 2025 updates!
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