The Mumbai Indians player impressed with stunning figures of 4/24 on his IPL debut on Monday.
Mumbai Indians (MI) pacer Ashwani Kumar is enjoying the time of his life in the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL). Ashwani made his IPL debut in a match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Monday. He finished with impressive figures of 4/24, picking up the wickets of KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane, Rinku Singh, Manish Pandey and Andre Russell.
His exploits helped Mumbai Indians see off Kolkata Knight Riders for a paltry total of 116. Ashwani, however, has not had an easy road to becoming one of the brightest young prospects in Indian cricket.
The 23-year-old made his First-Class debut for Punjab in a Ranji Trophy match against Rajasthan in 2019 but injures sidelined him for the next three-four years. He has played just two First-Class matches for Punjab till ate, having taken three wickets.
“Ashwani made his debut for Punjab in 2019. However, he was sidelined for three to four years due to injury. The intense competition for opportunities in the Punjab cricket team further limited his game time. Despite these setbacks, he never lost heart and kept working hard to make a mark as a cricketer,” former Punjab cricketer Mandeep Singh told the Times of India.
Mandeep added that Ashwani turned down a job offer to pursue his dream of playing cricket. “Ashwani comes from a very humble background, yet he regularly travelled to Mohali for practice. His determination was evident when he turned down a job opportunity that would have provided financial stability but required him to leave Punjab.
“He told me ‘ I am eager to fight on and play for Punjab. I don’t want to give up’. His performances in Punjab’s domestic T20 league, Sher-E-Punjab, last year proved to be a turning point, as he impressed many with his death bowling and composure under pressure,” he added.
With figures of 4/24, the Mohali-born Ashwani also registered the best bowling figures by an Indian on IPL debut. Mumbai Indians chased down 117 in 12.5 overs on the back of an unbeaten 62 from Ryan Rickelton.
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Ashwani will look to get more chances in IPL 2025 as the tournament progresses. Mumbai Indians, who defeated Kolkata Knight Riders on Monday, will next face Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on Friday.
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