MI vs KKR Highlights, IPL 2025: 3 moments that generated buzz among fans in Match 12
Mumbai Indians (MI) finally opened their account in the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) with a thumping win over defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the 12th match of the tournament. The game was played at their home ground, the iconic Wankhede Stadium, on Monday, March 31.
The contest turned out to be one-sided, in favor of the home team, from the very beginning, as MI’s pacers ran through KKR’s batting unit after putting them to bat first. The 2024 champions were bamboozled by MI’s debutant, Ashwani Kumar, and they couldn’t find a way to recover after an early collapse. They were eventually dished out in 16.2 overs.
Chasing a below-par target of 117 in 120 balls, Mumbai openers Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickleton got their side off to a terrific start as Harshit Rana leaked 14 runs off his first over. The hosts finished the powerplay with 55 runs on the board, losing just one wicket - that of their former skipper.
Rickleton was on top of his game for MI as he remained unbeaten, scoring a 41-ball 62, smashing four boundaries and five sixes during his time out in the field. Suryakumar Yadav’s cameo of 27*(9) to finish off the chase in just 12.5 overs saw MI win their first game of the season.
On that note, let’s take a look at three moments from the MI vs KKR game that generated buzz among fans.
#3 MI fielders drop Venkatesh Iyer’s catch twice as the KKR vice-captain gets two extra lives
It was the ‘third time the charm’ for MI in the case of Venkatesh Iyer’s wicket, as he was dropped twice before being finally dismissed. Ashwani Kumar could have completed a five-wicket haul on debut had Mitchell Santner caught the ball in the fourth over.
Then, it was Ashwani who dropped the KKR vice-captain off Trent Boult on the final delivery of the fifth over. The debutant got both his hands underneath the ball but couldn’t hold on to it. Iyer was eventually dismissed by Deepak Chahar in the sixth over as KKR concluded their powerplay at 41/4.
#2 Rohit Sharma’s poor outing disappoints fans, again
MI opener and the team’s former skipper Rohit Sharma showed glimpses of his old self when he started the chase. When Harshit Rana delivered a no-ball in the second over, Rohit did not wait a second to make the most of the opportunity and notched up a six off the free hit.
That one hit gave several fans hope that he would finish the game remaining unbeaten, given the low target to chase. But it was Rickleton who led the chase as Rohit played second fiddle. After struggling a bit, the Mumbai batter was dismissed by Russell for a 12-ball 13 as his poor run of form continued.
#1 Ashwani Kumar’s four-fer on dream debut
Mumbai Indians’ Ashwani Kumar had an outing to remember as he picked up a four-wicket haul on his IPL debut. He picked up a wicket off his maiden IPL delivery, becoming only the 10th bowler in 18 years of the tournament’s history to do so on debut.
He opened his wicket tally by dismissing KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane, and followed it up by scalping three more big fishes in Rinku Singh, Manish Pandey, and Andre Russell. He recorded 4/24 in three overs, which also became the best bowling figures by an Indian on IPL debut.