Mumbai, March 30: In the opening match of IPL 2026, Mumbai Indians (MI) kicked off their campaign with a victory, defeating Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by six wickets at Wankhede Stadium. Stellar performances from Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton propelled MI to success, while Shardul Thakur played a crucial role with the ball, earning the ‘Player of the Match’ title.
After the match, Thakur expressed, “Bowling the sixth over was a challenge. I enjoy challenges. Today’s performance was similar. This ground has given me both bitter and sweet memories. Playing for Mumbai is special. In 2010, I was a net bowler, and now I finally get to play for my home team, Mumbai Indians. If I can stay here, I would be truly happy. The support from the management has been incredible.”
Thakur took three key wickets, dismissing Finn Allen, Ajinkya Rahane, and Cameron Green, conceding 39 runs in his four overs.
Having played IPL since 2015, this was Thakur’s first opportunity to represent MI, and he made an immediate impact by leading his team to victory. This win marks MI’s first opening match victory since 2012.
In the match, KKR batted first after losing the toss, scoring 220 runs for four wickets, with captain Rahane top-scoring at 67 runs. Angkrish Raghuwanshi contributed 51 runs off 29 balls, while Finn Allen and Rinku Singh added 37 and 33 runs, respectively.
Mumbai Indians chased down the target, scoring 224 runs for four wickets in 19.1 overs. Rohit Sharma scored 78 runs off 38 balls, hitting six fours and six sixes, achieving his fastest fifty in IPL history in just 23 balls. Rickelton also impressed with 81 runs off 43 balls, as the duo shared a remarkable 148-run partnership for the first wicket.