3 highest wicket-takers in MI-RR IPL matches ft. Jasprit Bumrah
Mumbai Indians (MI) will host Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the 14th match of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 at their home ground, the Wankhede Stadium, on Monday, April 1. While the hosts enter the game with two losses, the visitors come off two victories on the trot.
The two teams have been part of some memorable clashes, with their most recent encounter at the Wankhede Stadium during IPL 2023 ending in a final-over thriller. Of the 13 games played so far this season, the hosts have won 12 and MI would be hoping to maintain the streak.
Speaking of their form this season, the visitors will be coming on the back of two consecutive victories. They are unbeaten in the tournament thus far and would be aiming to keep that intact. MI, on the other hand, have had contrasting results, losing both their outings to find themselves in the last spot on the points table.
As both teams gear up for an exciting clash of the IPL 2024, let us look at three bowlers who have picked up the most number of wickets in MI-RR encounters.
#3 Jofra Archer (MI and RR)- 13 wickets
Jofra Archer, who has been a part of the IPL since 2018, missed out on the ongoing 2024 edition of the cash-rich event as the England Cricket Board (ECB) looked to manage his workload ahead of the all-important T20 World Cup.
Archer made his IPL debut for the Rajasthan Royals in 2018 and represented the team for four seasons before making his way to Mumbai Indians. An elbow injury forced him to miss the 2021 edition but in his three years for RR, Archer picked up 46 wickets in total, of which 12 came against MI.
MI spent big bucks on Archer to rope him in even amid his injury, knowing that he’d miss out on the IPL that year in 2022. Archer returned to the league in 2023 and played only five games, picking up two wickets in those outings.
While Archer has picked up 12 wickets against MI while representing RR, he has managed to get just one scalp in the only match that he played for MI against RR.
#2 Dhawal Kulkarni (MI and RR)- 17 wickets
A veteran of the game, Dhawal Kulkarni was a part of the IPL from the tournament’s inaugural edition in 2008, till 2021. He started his IPL career with MI and was part of the team till 2013. He was then roped in by RR for IPL 2014.
He then made his way to Gujarat Lions for the 2016 edition before returning to the RR camp in 2018 and eventually finding his place back with the MI squad in 2020. Over the years, Kulkarni has picked up 86 IPL wickets in 92 matches, of which 17 have come in the MI-RR contests.
Dhawal was at his best in the 2016 edition, when he represented Gujarat Lions, finishing with 18 scalps under his belt. Having represented both MI and RR over the years, Dhawal Kulkarni has 17 wickets to his name from MI-RR clashes.
#1 Jasprit Bumrah (MI)- 17 wickets
Jasprit Bumrah made his IPL debut for MI in 2013 and has been with the franchise ever since. With time, he has emerged as one of the most destructive bowlers for not just the Mumbai-based franchise, but also for team India on the international stage.
Bumrah has been a part of MI’s all five title-winning campaigns, which include 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020. The pacer proved to be the lucky factor for MI as his inclusion in the team led to MI lifting their maiden IPL trophy in 2013.
In 122 IPL matches, Bumrah has racked up 148 wickets, of which 17 have come against the Rajasthan Royals. Being the leading wicket-taker for MI against RR, Bumrah will have a key role to play when the two sides square off in their 2024 encounter at the Wankhede Stadium.