MI secure first win in IPL 2025 with dominant victory over KKR

KATHMANDU: Mumbai Indians registered their first win of the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) season by defeating Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by 8 wickets in the second match on Monday.

Chasing a target of 117 set by Kolkata, Mumbai completed the task in just 12.5 overs, losing only two wickets.

Mumbai’s opening batsman, Ryan Rickelton, was the standout performer, remaining unbeaten on 62 runs.

Facing 41 balls, he struck four boundaries and five sixes, showcasing his aggressive intent.

Suryakumar Yadav also contributed significantly, scoring 27 runs off 9 balls, which included three fours and two sixes.

While Will Jacks scored 16 runs, Mumbai captain Rohit Sharma was dismissed for 13 runs.

For Kolkata, Andre Russell was the best bowler, claiming two wickets in 2.5 overs, although he conceded 35 runs.

Earlier, Kolkata, batting first after losing the toss, could only manage 116 runs before being all-out in 16.2 overs.

Ankrish Raghuvanshi top-scored for Kolkata with 26 runs, while Mandeep Singh contributed 22 runs and Manish Pandey made 19.

Rinku Singh was dismissed for 17 runs.

Mumbai’s bowling attack was led by debutant Ashwani Kumar, who delivered a sensational performance.

In his first-ever IPL match, he claimed four wickets for just 8 runs in three overs.

Deepak Chahar took two wickets, while Trent Boult and captain Hardik Pandya claimed one wicket each.

With this comprehensive win, Mumbai Indians marked a confident start to their IPL 2025 campaign.