By Chirag - Mar 31, 2025 09:47 PM
The Indian Premier League (IPL) has always been a platform where young talents shine, and Mumbai Indians’ latest recruit, Ashwani Kumar, proved just that. The left-arm fast bowler from Punjab made a remarkable debut against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), making an immediate impact with the ball and on the field.
Ashwani Kumar made a dream start to his IPL career by taking a wicket on the very first ball he bowled. Bowling to KKR’s captain Ajinkya Rahane, Ashwani forced a mistimed shot that was caught at wide third man by Tilak Verma—though not before a couple of fumbles. With this dismissal, Ashwani joined the elite list of bowlers who have taken a wicket on the very first ball of their IPL debut.
Ashwani had a chance to make an even bigger impact in his first over. He nearly dismissed Venkatesh Iyer as well, but a difficult catch was dropped by Mitchell Santner. Despite this, he bowled a controlled over, conceding just eight runs. Surprisingly, captain Hardik Pandya did not give him another over in the powerplay, but Ashwani remained active in the field. He later took a well-judged catch to dismiss Quinton de Kock off Deepak Chahar’s bowling.
Ashwani returned to bowl his second over in the 11th over of KKR’s innings. At that stage, Rinku Singh and Manish Pandey were looking to rebuild KKR’s innings. However, Ashwani’s disciplined bowling ensured that the momentum remained with Mumbai Indians. He first dismissed Rinku Singh, who was caught at the boundary, and then bowled Manish Pandey with a perfect delivery.
Not stopping there, Ashwani continued his dream spell in his third over by dismissing the dangerous Andre Russell. With sharp pace variations and excellent control, he ended with figures of 4 wickets for 24 runs in just three overs—an exceptional performance for any debutant.
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Hailing from Punjab, Ashwani Kumar has built a reputation as a lethal left-arm pacer. Known for his deadly bouncers, deceptive pace variations, and precise wide yorkers, he has impressed cricketing scouts for some time. His breakthrough moment came in the Sher-e-Punjab T20 Trophy in 2024, where his exceptional death bowling won crucial matches for his team.
Ashwani made his domestic debut for Punjab in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in 2022. In his four matches in the tournament, he took three wickets at an economy rate of 8.50. Additionally, he has represented Punjab in two first-class and four List A matches. His consistent performances earned him a well-deserved IPL contract, as Mumbai Indians acquired him for Rs 30 lakh in the 2025 mega auction.
With his incredible debut performance, Ashwani Kumar has shown that he is ready for the big stage. His ability to perform under pressure, combined with his skill set, makes him a valuable asset for Mumbai Indians. If he continues to deliver such performances, he could soon become a mainstay in Indian cricket.
Cricket fans will now eagerly watch how Ashwani progresses in the tournament, but one thing is certain—his IPL journey has begun in spectacular fashion.
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