Mumbai, March 30:
Mumbai Indians finally broke their 14-year jinx of failing to win an opening match in the Indian Premier League, registering a sensational six-wicket victory over Kolkata Knight Riders in their IPL 2026 campaign opener at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday.
Chasing a daunting target of 221, Mumbai Indians rode on explosive knocks from Ryan Rickelton (81 off 43) and Rohit Sharma (78 off 38) to seal the chase in just 19.1 overs. Rohit also etched his name in the record books, surpassing Virat Kohli for the most runs scored against a single IPL opponent.
Earlier, put in to bat, KKR posted a formidable 220 for four, thanks to a composed half-century from skipper Ajinkya Rahane and a stunning debut performance by Angkrish Raghuvanshi, who smashed 51 off just 29 balls. The young batter’s fearless strokeplay provided late impetus to the innings.
Despite the strong total, KKR struggled with the ball, as their relatively inexperienced bowling attack failed to contain MI’s aggressive batting lineup. Reflecting on the loss, Rahane admitted that while the batting unit delivered, the bowling lacked the required experience against a formidable side like Mumbai.
“220-225 was a good total. We batted really well, but again, the inexperienced bowling attack—it’s a learning curve for us,” Rahane said after the match. He also revealed battling cramps during his innings, attributing it to Mumbai’s humid conditions, but expressed satisfaction with his personal form.