Mumbai: Finally, the Mumbai Indians have ended their jinx of shedding the primary match of the IPL, an undesirable behavior which they’d been carrying for 13 lengthy seasons — from 2013 to 2025. In truth, on Sunday night time on the Wankhede Stadium, that undesirable document seemed like persevering with when the Kolkata Knight Riders raced away to an imposing complete of 220 for 4 after being requested to bat first. Nevertheless, their openers, South African ‘keeper-bat Ryan Rickelton (81, 43b, 4×4, 8×6) and former captain Rohit Sharma (78, 38b, 6×4, 6×6), who turned the clock again with some livid hitting, blew away KKR with their rollicking 148-run opening stand, which took simply 72 balls. The difficulty was by no means doubtful, although the hosts misplaced a number of late wickets. MI’s emphatic six-wicket win within the high-scoring recreation, which got here with 5 balls to spare, gave a lot to cheer for his or her vociferous supporters. The primary two days of IPL 2026 have now seen 200-plus totals chased down simply, virtually in a farcical method, which tells you the way powerful life is getting for the bowlers within the IPL. In the mean time, the competition between bat and ball is closely lopsided in favour of the bat within the league. In a curious improvement, India’s T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav featured as an Influence Participant and chipped in with an eight-ball 16 (3×4). Turning the clock again, Rohit unleashed some huge sixes, together with his trademark pull shot for a six within the sixth over off Kartik Tyagi standing out, whereas skipper Hardik Pandya (18 not out off 11 balls, 3×4) completed the job. To make issues worse for the guests, their captain Ajinkya Rahane, who smashed a nice 67 (40b, 3×4, 5×6) earlier, needed to go away the sphere on account of cramps, leaving his deputy Rinku Singh to guide the aspect. What should actually fear KKR going ahead can also be the poor type of their lead spinner Varun Chakravarthy, who conceded 0-48 in 4 overs and is clearly struggling for rhythm. Earlier, KKR batters throughout the spectrum, senior batter Rahane and younger gun Angkrish Raghuvanshi (51, 29b, 4×4, 2×6), smashed blazing fifties, whereas New Zealand opener Finn Allen (37 off 18 balls, 6×4, 2×6) and Rinku Singh (33 not out, 21b, 4×4) chipped in with important cameos to take KKR to a formidable complete. On an evening which noticed Mumbai gamers hog the limelight in entrance of their residence crowd, Mumbai all-rounder Shardul Thakur was to not be left behind, making a significant contribution to MI’s win. Marking an outstanding outing for MI, the ‘Palghar Specific’ took three for 39 in 4 overs and was the decide of the bowlers on both aspect in a recreation that noticed the world’s high tempo bowler Jasprit Bumrah go wicketless (0-38 in 4 overs) for as soon as. Thakur dismissed Allen (caught at broad long-on) within the sixth over to supply MI with a much-needed breakthrough at some extent when the KKR openers had been going berserk. Utilizing slower balls and his variations cleverly, the 34-year-old then took the scalps of Rs 25.20 cr purchase Cameron Inexperienced (18, 10b, 1×4, 1×6, caught neatly by a diving Sherfane Rutherford at deep cowl), who was making his KKR debut, and Rahane (caught at further cowl off a cross-seam, full supply bowled exterior off stump), to verify KKR from operating away with the sport. KKR had been offered an electrical begin by Rahane, who scored his thirty fourth IPL fifty, and Allen, who had blasted a match-winning unbeaten century in opposition to South Africa within the 2026 T20 World Cup semifinal earlier this month, because the opening pair added 69 off simply 32 balls to put the platform for an enormous complete. Taking part in in his first aggressive match in three months — he final turned out for Mumbai on December 16, when he smashed 72 not out off 41 balls to assist Mumbai chase down 217 in opposition to Rajasthan in Pune within the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy — Rahane, who opted out of the Vijay Hazare Trophy after which the second half of the Ranji Trophy over the past home season, hardly seemed rusty. Batting superbly, the veteran batsman picked up the size early and unfurled some superb strokes, with a cover-driven 4 off Thakur being the decide of the lot. There have been a number of who’ve questioned KKR’s determination to make Rahane the captain once more this season, however the 37-year-old, who completed as the very best run-getter for KKR final season (390 runs in 13 matches at 35.45, with three fifties), seemed in a decided temper to show his value. Launching an all-out assault, Allen feasted on long-hops by MI’s debutant Afghanistan spinner Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar (0-57 in 4 overs), taking two sixes and a 4 off him within the third over, which went for 17. Rahane then hammered back-to-back sixes off Hardik Pandya off the primary two balls of the fourth over, earlier than Allen took three consecutive fours off the MI captain, who conceded 26 in that over.