Mumbai: Finally, Mumbai Indians have put an end to their curse of losing the first match of the IPL, an unwanted habit they had carried for 13 long seasons from 2013 to 2025.
In fact, on Sunday night at the Wankhede Stadium, that unwanted record looked set to continue as the Kolkata Knight Riders raced to a towering total of 220 for four after being asked to bat first.
However, their openers, South African wicketkeeper-bat Ryan Rickelton (81, 43b, 4×4, 8×6) and former captain Rohit Sharma (78, 38b, 6×4, 6×6), who turned back the clock with some furious knocks, swept KKR away with their entertaining opening stand of 148 runs, which took just 72 balls. The issue was never in doubt, even though the hosts lost some late wickets.
MI’s emphatic six-wicket victory in the high-scoring game, which came with five balls to spare, gave their vociferous fans plenty to cheer about.
In the first two days of IPL 2026, over 200 totals have easily been tracked, almost ridiculously so, indicating how difficult life is becoming for bowlers in the IPL. At the moment, the competition between bat and ball is very lopsided in favor of the bat in the league.
In a curious development, India’s T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav appeared as an impact player and contributed a 16-ball eight (3×4).
Going back in time, Rohit unleashed some big sixes, with his trademark pull shot for a six in the sixth over Kartik Tyagi standing out, while captain Hardik Pandya (18 not out off 11 balls, 3×4) finished the job.
To make matters worse for the visitors, their captain Ajinkya Rahane, who earlier scored a fine 67 (40b, 3×4, 5×6), had to leave the field due to cramps, leaving his substitute Rinku Singh to lead the team. What should really worry KKR going forward is also the poor form of their paceman Varun Chakravarthy, who conceded 0-48 in four overs and is clearly struggling to keep pace.
Earlier, KKR batsmen from across the spectrum, senior batsman Rahane and youngster Angkrish Raghuvanshi (51, 29b, 4×4, 2×6), smashed fiery fifties, while New Zealand opener Finn Allen (37 off 18 balls, 6×4, 2×6) and Rinku Singh (33 not out, 21b, 4×4) contributed vital cameos to take KKR to a formidable Total.
On a night when Mumbai players stole the show in front of their home crowd, Mumbai all-rounder Shardul Thakur was not far behind and made a vital contribution to MI’s victory. Marking an excellent outing for MI, the ‘Palghar Express’ took three for 39 in four overs and was the pick of bowlers from both sides in a game that saw the world’s best bowler Jasprit Bumrah go wicketless (0-38 in four overs) for once.
Thakur dismissed Allen (caught long on) in the sixth over to give MI a much-needed breakthrough at a time when KKR’s openers were going berserk. Using slower balls and their variations cleverly, the 34-year-old scalped Rs 25.20 cr to buy Cameron Green (18, 10b, 1×4, 1×6, cleverly caught by a diving Sherfane Rutherford at deep cover), who was making his debut for KKR, and Rahane (caught at extra cover on a cross seam, full delivery bowled outside off stump), to prevent for KKR to run away with the game.
KKR got off to an electric start thanks to Rahane, who scored his 34th IPL fifty, and Allen, who had scored an unbeaten match-winning century against South Africa in the 2026 T20 World Cup semi-final earlier this month, as the opening pair added 69 off just 32 balls to set the platform for a big total.
Playing in his first competitive match in three months (he last featured in Mumbai on December 16, when he smashed 72 not out off 41 balls to help Mumbai chase down 217 against Rajasthan in Pune in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy), Rahane, who opted out of the Vijay Hazare Trophy and then the second half of the Ranji Trophy during the last domestic season, hardly looked rusty.
Batting beautifully, the veteran batsman picked up length early and unleashed some glorious strokes, with a cover-driven four from Thakur being the pick of the lot.
There have been some who have questioned KKR’s decision to make Rahane the captain again this season, but the 37-year-old, who finished as KKR’s highest run-getter last season (390 runs in 13 matches at 35.45, with three fifties), seemed determined to prove his worth.
Launching an all-out attack, Allen delighted in the long hops of MI’s debutant Afghanistan spinner Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar (0-57 in four overs), taking two sixes and a four in the third over, which went for 17. Rahane then hit consecutive sixes off Hardik Pandya in the first two balls of the fourth over, before Allen took three consecutive fours from the MI captain, who conceded 26 in that over.