The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 brought yet another thrilling clash between two of its biggest teams, the Kolkata Knight Riders vs Mumbai Indians, in Match 12 at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on March 31, 2025. This game was a spectacle of skill, strategy, and sheer dominance, with Mumbai Indians securing a commanding eight-wicket victory over the defending champions, KKR. For cricket fans of all ages, this match was a rollercoaster of emotions, showcasing a debutant’s heroics, explosive batting, and a clinical chase. Let’s dive into the details of this exciting encounter, breaking down the scorecard, key moments, and what made this match unforgettable.
The Stage: Wankhede Stadium
The Wankhede Stadium, known for its electric atmosphere and batting-friendly pitches, was buzzing with a sea of blue and a sprinkle of purple on March 31, 2025. With a slight breeze and no dew factor, the pitch offered a bit of grass, promising some help for the bowlers early on. Mumbai Indians, led by Hardik Pandya, won the toss and elected to bowl first, a decision that would prove to be a masterstroke. KKR, under the leadership of Ajinkya Rahane, were ready to set a challenging total on what was expected to be a high-scoring surface. However, the match unfolded in a way that left KKR reeling and MI celebrating.
Kolkata Knight Riders Innings: A Batting Collapse
KKR’s batting lineup, packed with stars like Quinton de Kock, Sunil Narine, and Andre Russell, started with high hopes but crumbled under pressure from MI’s disciplined bowling attack. Let’s break down their innings, which ended at a modest 116 runs in 16.2 overs.
KKR Batting Scorecard
|
Batter |
Runs |
Balls |
4s |
6s |
Strike Rate |
Dismissal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Quinton de Kock (wk) |
1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 33.33 |
c Ashwani Kumar b Deepak Chahar |
|
Sunil Narine |
0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
b Trent Boult |
|
Ajinkya Rahane (c) |
11 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 157.14 |
c Tilak Varma b Ashwani Kumar |
|
Angkrish Raghuvanshi |
26 | 16 | 3 | 1 | 162.50 |
c Naman Dhir b Hardik Pandya |
|
Venkatesh Iyer |
3 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 33.33 |
c Ryan Rickelton b Deepak Chahar |
|
Rinku Singh |
17 | 14 | 1 | 1 | 121.43 |
c Naman Dhir b Ashwani Kumar |
|
Manish Pandey |
19 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 135.71 |
b Ashwani Kumar |
|
Andre Russell |
5 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 45.45 |
b Ashwani Kumar |
|
Ramandeep Singh |
22 | 12 | 1 | 2 | 183.33 |
c Hardik Pandya b Mitchell Santner |
|
Harshit Rana |
4 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
c Naman Dhir b Vignesh Puthur |
|
Spencer Johnson |
1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
not out |
|
Extras |
7 |
(lb 1, w 6) |
||||
|
Total |
116 |
(16.2 overs) |
7.10 RPO |
Fall of Wickets:
-
1-1 (Sunil Narine, 0.4 ov)
-
2-2 (Quinton de Kock, 1.1 ov)
-
25-3 (Ajinkya Rahane, 3.1 ov)
-
41-4 (Venkatesh Iyer, 5.4 ov)
-
45-5 (Angkrish Raghuvanshi, 6.6 ov)
-
74-6 (Rinku Singh, 10.3 ov)
-
80-7 (Manish Pandey, 10.6 ov)
-
88-8 (Andre Russell, 12.4 ov)
-
99-9 (Harshit Rana, 14.3 ov)
-
116-10 (Ramandeep Singh, 16.2 ov)
MI Bowling: Ashwani Kumar Steals the Show
MI’s bowling was nothing short of spectacular, with debutant Ashwani Kumar leading the charge. The 23-year-old left-arm pacer from Punjab made history by becoming the first Indian to take a four-wicket haul on IPL debut, finishing with figures of 4/24 in 3 overs. His ability to swing the ball and bowl clever variations in the death overs dismantled KKR’s batting lineup.
|
Bowler |
Overs |
Maidens |
Runs |
Wickets |
Economy |
Extras |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Trent Boult |
3 | 0 | 15 | 1 | 5.00 |
1w |
|
Deepak Chahar |
2 | 0 | 19 | 2 | 9.50 | 0 |
|
Ashwani Kumar |
3 | 0 | 24 | 4 | 8.00 |
2w |
|
Hardik Pandya |
3 | 0 | 22 | 1 | 7.33 |
1w |
|
Vignesh Puthur |
3 | 0 | 20 | 1 | 6.67 |
1w |
|
Mitchell Santner |
2.2 | 0 | 15 | 1 | 6.43 |
1w |
Key Moments in KKR’s Innings
KKR’s innings got off to a disastrous start. Trent Boult struck in the very first over, dismissing Sunil Narine for a duck. Deepak Chahar followed up by removing Quinton de Kock in the second over, leaving KKR at 2/2. Ajinkya Rahane, the captain, showed some intent with a quick 11, but Ashwani Kumar’s introduction turned the game on its head. His first ball in the IPL dismissed Rahane, caught by Tilak Varma, and he went on to claim Rinku Singh, Manish Pandey, and Andre Russell, ripping through KKR’s middle order.
Angkrish Raghuvanshi (26 off 16) and Ramandeep Singh (22 off 12) provided brief resistance, but KKR’s batting collapsed like a house of cards. The powerplay ended at 41/4, and despite a few boundaries and sixes, KKR couldn’t recover. Ashwani’s variations and MI’s tight bowling ensured KKR were bowled out for 116 in 16.2 overs. As KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane later admitted, “It was a collective batting failure. We kept losing wickets, and no one could bat through.”
Mumbai Indians Innings: A Clinical Chase
Chasing a modest 117, MI’s batters made light work of the target, reaching 121/2 in just 12.5 overs. Ryan Rickelton’s unbeaten 62 and Suryakumar Yadav’s explosive cameo ensured MI cruised to victory with 43 balls to spare, boosting their net run rate significantly.
MI Batting Scorecard
|
Batter |
Runs |
Balls |
4s |
6s |
Strike Rate |
Dismissal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Ryan Rickelton (wk) |
62 | 41 | 4 | 5 | 151.21 |
not out |
|
Rohit Sharma |
13 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 108.33 |
c Harshit Rana b Andre Russell |
|
Will Jacks |
16 | 17 | 0 | 1 | 94.11 |
c Ajinkya Rahane b Andre Russell |
|
Suryakumar Yadav |
27 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 300.00 |
not out |
|
Extras |
3 |
(lb 1, w 1, nb 1) |
||||
|
Total |
121 |
(12.5 overs) |
9.43 RPO |
Fall of Wickets:
-
43-1 (Rohit Sharma, 4.5 ov)
-
88-2 (Will Jacks, 10.4 ov)
KKR Bowling: No Answers to MI’s Firepower
KKR’s bowlers struggled to contain MI’s aggressive batting. Andre Russell was the only bowler to make an impact, picking up both wickets, but his economy rate was high. Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy, KKR’s spin twins, were expected to challenge MI on a pitch with some turn, but they couldn’t find their rhythm.
|
Bowler |
Overs |
Maidens |
Runs |
Wickets |
Economy |
Extras |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Spencer Johnson |
3 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 8.00 | 0 |
|
Harshit Rana |
3 | 0 | 34 | 0 | 11.33 |
1nb, 1w |
|
Varun Chakaravarthy |
3 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 4.00 | 0 |
|
Sunil Narine |
2 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 10.50 | 0 |
|
Andre Russell |
1.5 | 0 | 29 | 2 | 15.45 | 0 |
Key Moments in MI’s Innings
Ryan Rickelton set the tone for the chase, surviving a tricky opening over from Spencer Johnson before unleashing a barrage of boundaries and sixes. His maiden IPL fifty (62* off 41) was a mix of elegance and power, including a stunning six off Narine to reach his half-century. Rohit Sharma, brought in as an Impact Player, struggled to find fluency, scoring 13 off 12 before falling to Russell.
Suryakumar Yadav, however, stole the show with a breathtaking 27* off 9 balls. His trademark shots, including a lofted cover drive and a ramp shot over the keeper for a six, sealed the game in style. As Rickelton later said, “I just said to Quinny that SKY is a joke. Stuff that I can’t dream of!” The chase was over in 12.5 overs, with MI losing just two wickets, showcasing their dominance.
Kolkata Knight Riders vs Mumbai Indians of the Match: Ashwani Kumar
The undisputed star of the match was Ashwani Kumar, whose 4/24 earned him the Player of the Match award. Hailing from Jhanjheri in Mohali, the young pacer was overwhelmed with emotion, saying, “It’s a big thing for me to get this opportunity. I was a little nervous, but I just did my process, and by God’s grace, I’m here.” His ability to dismiss key KKR batsmen like Rahane, Rinku, Pandey, and Russell on debut marked him as a talent to watch.
Tactical Masterstrokes and Impact Players
MI’s decision to bowl first was spot-on, given the early movement on the pitch. Hardik Pandya’s choice to bring in Ashwani Kumar early paid dividends, and the Impact Player substitution of Rohit Sharma for Vignesh Puthur added experience to the chase. KKR, on the other hand, struggled with their batting order and failed to utilize their Impact Players effectively. Their bench, including Anrich Nortje and Manish Pandey, couldn’t turn the tide.
What Went Wrong for KKR?
KKR’s batting was their biggest letdown. Losing four wickets in the powerplay put them on the back foot, and the middle order couldn’t consolidate. Ajinkya Rahane reflected, “180-190 would have been a good total on this pitch, but we kept losing wickets.” The lack of a set batsman to anchor the innings and poor shot selection against MI’s varied bowling attack led to their downfall.
MI’s Redemption
For Mumbai Indians, this win was a much-needed boost after two consecutive losses. Hardik Pandya praised his team’s collective effort, saying, “Everyone chipped in nicely. Ashwani was brilliant, and our scouts did a great job picking him.” The victory moved MI to sixth in the IPL 2025 points table with a positive net run rate of +0.309, while KKR slumped to the bottom with a -1.426 NRR.
The Bigger Picture: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Mumbai Indians Match Scorecard
The MI-KKR rivalry is one of the IPL’s most storied, with MI holding a dominant 24-9 win record, including 10 wins at Wankhede. This match further cemented MI’s supremacy, as they exploited KKR’s weaknesses and executed their plans perfectly. For fans, it was a reminder of why this clash is always a highlight of the IPL calendar.
Conclusion
The Kolkata Knight Riders vs Mumbai Indians match on March 31, 2025, was a one-sided affair that showcased MI’s depth and KKR’s struggles. Ashwani Kumar’s dream debut, Ryan Rickelton’s fiery fifty, and Suryakumar Yadav’s finishing touches made it a night to remember for MI fans. For KKR, it was a wake-up call to regroup and rethink their strategies. As the IPL 2025 season progresses, this match will be remembered as a turning point for MI and a lesson for KKR.
For cricket lovers of all ages, this scorecard tells a story of triumph, debut heroics, and the unpredictable thrill of the IPL. Whether you’re a young fan cheering for Suryakumar’s sixes or an older one marveling at Ashwani’s rise, this match had something for everyone. Stay tuned for more IPL action, as the tournament promises more such unforgettable moments!
