Ashwani Kumar made his IPL debut for Mumbai Indians against Kolkata Knight Riders on Monday. The young fast bowler had a dream start, taking 4 wickets.
In a post-match interview, Ashwani revealed that he was nervous before the game. He said it wasn’t easy making it to the IPL from a small town, but hard work paid off.
His first wicket was Ajinkya Rahane, followed by Rinku Singh, Manish Pandey, and Andre Russell. Ashwani became the first Indian bowler to take 4 wickets on IPL debut. He was awarded Player of the Match.
Ashwani said, “This is a big deal for me. I didn’t expect to get this award in my first match.” He credited his success to hard work and divine intervention.
When asked about his message to fans, Ashwani said he wants to make them proud in upcoming games. He recalled saying during the innings break, “My village is watching this match. They were waiting for my debut, and I’m glad I did well.”
A highlight of the match
Ashwani’s performance impressed everyone, including Hardik Pandya. Pandya advised Ashwani to bowl short and target the body against Andre Russell. After the match, Pandya praised Ashwani and the scout who discovered him. Mumbai Indians bought Ashwani for 30 lakh rupees in the IPL auction.
ASHWANI KUMAR – REMEMBER THE NAME FOR FUTURE pic.twitter.com/8yO19ygwa7
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) March 31, 2025