Mumbai Indians stars laud Ashwani Kumar during the IPL 2025 match against KKR.© BCCI/IPL
Skipper Hardik Pandya on Monday credited Mumbai Indians’ scouting team for unearthing fresh talent after debutant left-arm pacer Ashwani Kumar starred for the side in its eight-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL in Mumbai. Opting to bowl, MI rode on Kumar’s brilliant display with the ball to bundle out KKR for 116 before they chased down the target in 12.5 overs. Left-arm pacer Kumar became the first Indian to take four wickets on IPL debut and help restrict KKR, who were bowled out in 16.2 overs.
“Very satisfying to win, especially at home. The way we did it, as a group, everyone chipped in – can’t be happier. It’s always a challenge of picking one guy here and there. With our team it’s pretty sorted with the players who we are backing.
“This wicket just offered a bit more and we thought Ashwani can come in and bowl the way he bowled. First of all, it’s all because of the scouts. All MI scouts have gone all the places and picked these young kids,” Pandya said after the team’s first win of the season.
“We played a practice game and it looked like he had that zip and late swing, had a different action and plus he is a leftie. The way he took that wicket of (Andre) Russell was a very crucial wicket. And especially, how he started with that catch of Quinton. Was great to see a fast bowler jumping that high.” KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane said it was collective batting failure from his team “Collective batting failure, it was a good wicket to bat on. 180-190 would have been a good total on this pitch. We expect that (here), it has good bounce. When you are fighting against the bounce, that is what we did, you have to use it sometimes – we have to learn really fast.
“Bowlers were trying their best but not much runs on the board,” he said.
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