Ashwani Kumar: Mumbai Indians Debutant Pacer Takes Wicket on First Ball Against KKR

Mumbai Indians took a bold call in their must-win clash against defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders, handing IPL debut to left-arm pacer Ashwani Kumar – and what a debut it was. The 23-year-old wasted no time making an impact, striking with his very first ball in the league.

Introduced into the attack in the fourth over, Ashwani dismissed KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane with a full-length delivery outside off. Rahane tried to go over the top but ended up finding Tilak Varma at deep backward point. Varma juggled the ball but managed to hold on, giving the young pacer a dream start. 

With that, Ashwani Kumar became just the 10th bowler in IPL history to take a wicket with his first ball. And he didn’t stop there. In a fiery spell, he ran through KKR’s middle order, removing Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, and Manish Pandey to rip the heart out of their batting lineup. By the end of his three-over spell, he had picked up four wickets, helping bowl KKR out for just 116. 

Ashwani’s rise has been swift. Despite spending last season in the Punjab Kings camp, he never got a chance to play. Mumbai Indians saw his potential in the auction, snapping him up for INR 30 lakh. Before this game, he had only played four T20 matches for Punjab in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, taking two wickets. He also has a handful of First-Class and List A appearances to his name. 

But now, after a sensational IPL debut, the left-arm quick has made a name for himself. From warming the bench last season to taking the cricket world by storm, Ashwani Kumar’s journey is just getting started. 

Also Read: Sanju Samson Travels to BCCI’s Centre of Excellence to Request Wicketkeeping Clearance