Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders, IPL, 2026 Mar 29 Full score card

FOUR! Naman Dhir hits the winning runs! MUMBAI INDIANS WIN BY 6 WICKETS. Anukul Roy drops it short and on off, Dhir stays back and muscles it past mid off for a boundary. MI finally break their opening game jinx after a gap of 14 years.

Anukul Roy has been tossed the ball now with Mumbai Indians needing 1 more run.

FOUR! SCORES LEVEL! Sunil Narine goes short again and on middle. Hardik Pandya picks up the length early and gets hold of it, smacking it wide of long on for a boundary.

Shortish and on off, Naman Dhir punches it to long off for one.

Out goes Tilak Varma and in walks Naman Dhir.

OUT! CAUGHT! Tilak Varma tries to go for the big one but holes out here. Sunil Narine slows it up, full and on off. Varma looks to loft it down the ground but mistimes the shot. It is spooned towards long on, where the sub fielder, Manish Pandey, takes an easy catch.

Drags his length back, on off, Hardik Pandya loses his bottom hand and drags it towards deep mid-wicket for another run. MI are one big hit away from the win now.

Short and on middle, Tilak Varma stays back and clips it through mid-wicket for a run.

Flighted, full and around off, Hardik Pandya drills it hard but straight to long off for a single.

Just 9 more needed for the Mumbai Indians. Sunil Narine to bowl the 19th over. Can he manage to take the game to the last over?

FOUR! Nothing wrong with the ball, just unlucky! Vaibhav Arora bowls a good yorker, following the batter, right at the toes. Tilak Varma just about gets his bat down. The ball catches the inside edge, goes between his legs and past the keeper for a boundary. 9 needed in 12 balls.

Short and outside off, Hardik Pandya stays leg side and guides it to deep backward point for one.

A good yorker, on middle, Tilak Varma jams it out down to long off for a run.

FOUR! Up and over! Back of a length and outside off. Tilak Varma gets the width to free his arms and scythes it over backward point for a boundary. 15 needed in 15 now.

Bangs in a quick bouncer, on middle, skids through. Hardik Pandya gets hurried onto his pull shot and miscues his pull shot towards square leg for a single.

Short of a length and just outside off, angles away with extra bounce, Hardik Pandya goes for the cut but misses.

Vaibhav Arora comes back into the attack, replacing Blessing Muzarabani. 3-0-41-1 so far for Arora.

FOUR! That will release the pressure, if there was any! Kartik Tyagi goes for the yorker, on middle and off, but ends up serving a full toss. Tilak Varma anticipates that length and goes down and across early to scoop it over short fine for a boundary. 20 needed in 18 now.

Bangs this into the pitch, on off, Hardik Pandya flat-bats it towards long on for one.

Not out! Pitched up at a good pace. Tilak Varma stays back and tries to slog it but misses and gets hit on the pads. The ball rolls towards point and the batters get a leg bye. However, Tyagi looks interested and Angkrish Raghuvanshi signals to his skipper to take the review. The UltraEdge shows nothing and Ball Tracking shows it is just pitching outside leg. KKR lose the review.

A confident shout for LBW. Turned down by the umpire and KKR have taken the review. It has hit Tilak Varma in line, but where has it pitched? The ball has pitched just outside the line of the leg stump. The decision of NOT OUT stands.

Nails the wide yorker, outside off, angling away, Tilak Varma throws his hands at it but fails to connect.

Full and on middle, Hardik Pandya swings but gets an inside edge onto his pads as the ball rolls towards point. They cross.

Short of a length and around off, Tilak Varma swivels and pulls it in the air but on the bounce to deep mid-wicket for a single. 27 needed in 23 balls now.

Short of length and around off, Hardik Pandya slaps it hard but straight to extra cover.

FOUR! Pace on now, but the result is the same. On a hard length, width offered again by Blessing. Hardik does not miss out as he stands tall and cuts it right between deep backward point and deep cover for four more.

FOUR! Hammered! Pace taken off by Blessing Muzarabani and he bangs it into the strip but gets the line wrong. Pandya cashes in on the width as he slaps it wide of extra cover for a four.

Full and wide on off. Tilak extends his hands and slices it to deep backward point for a single.

In walks the skipper of the Mumbai Indians. Here is Hardik Pandya.

OUT! RYAN RICKELTON IS RUN OUT! Is there a twist still left in this game? Blessing Muzarabani hits the length hard and around off, Ryan punches it wide of long off. He turns around for the second but Tilak Varma sees the fielder get to the ball and sends his partner back. Rickelton tries to get in his crease, while Blessing gets in position to collect the ball without knowing where the batter is. Ryan has to get around him to get to the crease, but before he can do that, Anukul Roy hits the bullseye at the bowler's end. A much-needed wicket for KKR, but Ryan Rickelton has done his job here.

Direct hit! Ryan Rickelton is walking off. The decision has been given on-field by the umpire.

Slower one, short of a length and outside off, Ryan Rickelton only manages to stab it out to short cover.

Strategic Break! Mumbai Indians are very much ahead in the chase at the moment, and with a lot of firepower left, they will be confident of getting over the line. There was a phase where KKR slowed down, but MI made sure they didn't, and that is exactly proving to be the difference in this game. The only way Kolkata can make things interesting is by picking up a couple of wickets quickly, or else the result is pretty much inevitable here.

Three dots to end the over! Tyagi nails the yorker, outside off. Varma jams it out to short third. 8 runs and a wicket from the over. Mumbai Indians need 38 runs in 30 balls.

Another swing and a miss! No pace offered by Tyagi, into the wicket, outside off. Tilak does not pick the change of pace and has an ungainly swipe across the line.

On a back of a length, outside off, slower one. Tilak flashes but the ball sneaks under the blade.

FOUR! Just like Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma is off the mark with a boundary on the first ball. Across off, on a good length, Varma charges down the track and extends his hands to crunch the drive between cover and mid off for a four.

Who joins Ryan Rickelton out in the middle now? It will be Tilak Varma.

OUT! CAUGHT! High but not long enough. First wicket for Kartik Tyagi on his return to IPL for the first time since 2024. This is on a back of a length, outside off. Another off pace ball by Tyagi. Suryakumar Yadav clears the front leg and has a swing across the line. This comes more from the bottom half of the blade. It goes a long way up and Rinku Singh has to wait for an eternity at deep mid-wicket. He knows where the rope is and settles under it to take a good catch.

FOUR! Threads it through! Off-cutter from Tyagi, on a shortish length. The ball spins back a touch to cramp SKY for room. Suryakumar arches back to play the upper cut and splits the two fielders present inside the circle at short third.

Kartik Tyagi replaces Anukul Roy. 28 runs from his first couple of overs.

FOUR! Smashed! Tossed up, fuller and outside off. Ryan Rickelton uses his reach and smacks it down the ground. The long off fielder does not have much ground to cover but he is still beaten. A boundary off the last ball denies what could have been the first over in this innings without a boundary.

Angled into the left-hander, on a nagging length. Ryan Rickelton defends it out.

Wide! Sprayed beyond the tramline on off, on a good length. Ryan Rickelton lets it go.

Short and quick, on off, Yadav taps it to deep cover for one.

Shorter and on off. Ryan swipes it in front of square on the leg side for one.

Good stop! This is shorter and quicker, on off. Fast hands from SKY as he cuts it wide of backward point. Kartik Tyagi moves to his left quickly and flings himself at the ball to make the stop. Just a single.

FOUR! Lovely wristwork! Tossed up, full and on the pads, Yadav presses forward, brings his wrists into play and whips it to the left of deep mid-wicket for a boundary.

Double change? Yes, Varun Chakaravarthy to bowl out now.

SIX! Into the stands! Anukul Roy tosses it up but looks to keep it away from the batter's hitting arc. He fails to get it wide enough and Rickelton manages to get under the ball. He takes a step close to the ball and launches it over long off for a six.

Low full toss, angled in at the pads. SKY knocks it to long on for one.

WIDE! Anukul Roy sees the batter back away and fires this full, but a bit too outside off. Suryakumar Yadav leaves it alone. Wided.

A full toss, on middle and leg, Ryan Rickelton uses his feet and whips it to deep mid-wicket for another run.

Quicker, shortish and angling into the pads, Suryakumar Yadav flicks it to deep mid-wicket for a run.

Floated, full and outside off again, Ryan Rickelton fetches out for it and drags it to long on for a single.

Flatter, short and outside off, angles away, Ryan Rickelton tries to cut it away but misses.

FOUR! Suryakumar Yadav is away in trademark fashion. Arora takes pace off and this is bowled across the right-hander, on a back of a length. Suryakumar walks across the stumps and waits for the ball to arrive. He does not have much pace to work with but he manages to clear the man at short fine leg with the scoop.

Finally, a wicket for KKR in the 12th over, breaking the extraordinary 148-run opening stand. Mumbai Indians bring in Suryakumar Yadav to bat at number 3, as their Impact Sub, replacing Jasprit Bumrah.

Jasprit Bumrah is substituted by Suryakumar Yadav

OUT! IN THE AIR AND TAKEN! A fine grab from Anukul Roy. End of a brilliant knock from Rohit Sharma. Vaibhav Arora goes searching for the yorker but it comes out as a low full toss, bowled from around the wicket. Rohit hangs low and looks to drag it away on the leg side. Skies it towards wide mid on. Roy stationed inside the circle at mid on runs over his right shoulder. He keeps his eyes on the ball all the way through and dives forward to complete the catch. The ball stays in his palm even after his elbow hits the turf.

Wide! Dug in short, over off. The ball sails over Rohit's head for a wide.

Banged in short at 130.4 kph, on off. Rickelton pulls it to deep mid-wicket. They cross.

Vaibhav switches to around the wicket and goes to the wide yorker plan. Rohit takes it on the full and slices it to deep point for a run.

SIX! Easy pickings! Arora looks to go full but ends up serving a full toss, outside off. Sharma hangs deep in the crease and opens the bat face to carve it over the deep cover fence for a six. The replays show Rohit holding the pose with a straight bat while looking downtown.

FOUR! The boundaries keep coming. Vaibhav Arora steams in from over the wicket and bashes the ball on a hard length, on middle. Rohit Sharma gives the bowler the charge, and with a bit of flair, he pulls it through mid-wicket for a four.

FOUR! Width offered and Rickelton cashes in! Varun Chakaravarthy drops it short and this is near the tramline on off. Ryan reaches out and cuts it wide of backward point for a four. 13 runs off the over. MI need 86 runs in 54 balls.

Loopy ball, dropping on the batter, on middle and leg. Rohit jams it out to long on for another single.

At the stumps, another one quicker through the air. Ryan chops it down to point for one.

Drags the length back and this is pushed through, on off. Rickelton rocks back to cut but is beaten for pace.

SIX! Flat hit! Tossed up, outside off, on a length, Ryan Rickelton reaches out in front and gets low. Slog sweeps it flat and to the left of long on for a six.

Short and quick, on middle. Rohit clips it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Halfway through the chase, the Mumbai Indians are coasting. They need 99 runs in 60 balls. Varun Chakaravarthy is back.

Bangs this into the pitch, on middle, Ryan Rickelton pulls it away wide of deep mid-wicket. Cameron Green runs to his left and dives to make the stop. Two taken. There is a check for the boundary. After watching a few replays, the third umpire is happy with the stop.

On a length and on middle, Rohit Sharma works it through mid-wicket for one.

FOUR! Effortless batting! Kartik Tyagi lands this on a good length and just outside off, gets some extra bounce. Rohit Sharma opens the face of the bat and uses the pace to steer it past point for a boundary.

Hits the length hard, on off, Ryan Rickelton gets hurried by the pace and stabs it towards extra cover for a single. The fielder has a shy at the bowler's end but misses, and the ball goes to the deep. It does not cost KKR any extra run.

DROPPED! You have to take those! Back of a length and on middle and leg, Ryan Rickelton swivels and heaves, but hits it much flatter. It flies towards deep square leg, where Vaibhav Arora runs forward and dives but spills out with the ball coming rapidly at him. Two taken.

Gets away with it! Short of a length and on middle, takes pace off, Ryan Rickelton goes through his pull shot early and takes a blow on his midriff.

Oh dear! Kartik Tyagi loses the grip of the ball and bowls a high full toss, on the body of the batter. Rohit Sharma gets taken aback and tries to heave it away, but the ball catches him on the index finger and rolls towards square leg for a single. Rohit looks to be in some pain here. It is also called a No Ball for height. Free Hit up next...

Dragged back, on off, Ryan Rickelton steers it to point.

Short and outside off, Rohit Sharma cuts it away to deep point for one.

FIFTY FOR RICKELTON! The southpaw has started his IPL season with a bang here, getting to a 24-ball half-century, much to the delight of the MI fans. This is slower through the air, full and on middle, Ryan Rickelton works it to long on for one. Just a raise of the bat from him.

SIX! Ryan Rickelton is taking on Narine here! Sunil flights this up, full and around middle. Ryan gets down on one knee and slogs it flat and hard over the deep square leg fence for another biggie.

Flatter delivery, full and on middle, Ryan Rickelton pushes it back to the bowler.

SIX! Gets enough to clear the fence! Tossed up, full and just around off. Ryan Rickelton fetches it from there and slog sweeps it. He does not get it from the middle of the bat but gets enough power to clear long on for a biggie. 100 UP FOR MI.

Arm ball, full and on the pads, Ryan Rickelton flicks it to deep mid-wicket for one more. Back-to-back 8-run overs.

Drags his length back and outside off, Ryan Rickelton stabs it out towards short cover.

Flighted, full and on middle, Rohit Sharma tucks it through mid-wicket for one.

FOUR! Classy shot! Flatter delivery, full and just outside off. Rohit Sharma extends his arms to reach out and smacks it wide of long off for a boundary.

In the air...SAFE! Tossed up, full and around off, Ryan Rickelton looks to slog it away but gets a top edge high in the air. Ramandeep Singh from extra cover runs backwards but never looks settled. He dives and stretches his arms but fails to reach it. They cross.

Quicker and shorter, on off, Rohit Sharma punches it to sweeper cover for a single. MI need 132 runs in 77 balls.

Goes short and outside off, angles away, Ryan Rickelton reaches out and stabs it to short cover again. Just 8 runs off the over!

Slower through the air, full and around off, Ryan Rickelton pushes it towards short cover.

SIX! Into the stands! Flighted delivery, full and on middle, just in the slot. Ryan Rickelton goes down on one knee and nails the slog sweep over the deep mid-wicket fence for a biggie.

Drops it short and on middle and leg, Rohit Sharma moves back and punches it to long on for a run.

Floated, full and on off, turns in a bit, Rohit Sharma gets forward and blocks it out.

Tossed up, full and on off, Ryan Rickelton eases it down to long off for a single.

STRATEGIC BREAK! Kolkata Knight Riders take the timeout at the first available opportunity. They need a breather to regroup and figure out a way to stem the flow of runs. With the Powerplay done, they will be hoping to regain some control with them now allowed to spread the field. Losing Ajinkya Rahane to what looks like cramps doesn't help either, and it is testing times for stand-in skipper Rinku Singh. Sunil Narine to bowl after the break.

FIFTY FOR ROHIT SHARMA! A magnificent knock from Rohit, and he just looks to be playing with a lot of freedom here. He gets to it in just 23 balls, his fastest fifty in IPL, according to Ravi Shastri on air. This is a full toss, on middle, Rohit moves across and heaves it to deep mid-wicket for a couple of runs. Mumbai Indians are 80/0 at the end of the Powerplay.

Much fuller this time, just outside off, Rohit Sharma jams it out towards extra cover.

SIX! That is bread and butter for Hitman! Short of a length and on middle, not short enough to trouble the batter. Rohit Sharma pounces on it in a flash and pulls it over the deep square leg fence for another biggie.

Lands this on a good length and on middle, takes pace off, Rohit Sharma pats it back to the bowler.

On a length and on off, Rohit Sharma flicks it away towards deep square leg for a couple of runs.

SIX! Welcome to the game, Kartik Tyagi! He bowls the slower one, full and just around off, Rohit Sharma gets his hands through the shot and lofts it with an open bat face over extra cover for a six.

Full and on the pads. Rohit clips it behind square leg and takes a single. 15 runs off the over!

Shorter and quicker, on off, dabbed to point by Sharma.

FOUR! Cleverly done. Varun tries to push it across the batter, full and on off. Rohit takes a step across and sweeps it over short fine leg for a boundary.

Switches to around the wicket, this is full, on middle. Sharma turns it to mid-wicket.

SIX! Wow, Rohit Sharma makes it look so easy. Tossed up again, on off. Rohit reaches out in front and does not try to overhit this one. He just angles the bat face slightly and lofts it effortlessly over wide long off for a six.

FOUR! Beautiful shot! Chakaravarthy starts with a flighted delivery, full and on the off stump. Rohit presses on the front foot and goes inside out over cover for a four. The 50 is up for the Mumbai Indians!

First bowling change? Yes, time for some mystery spin as Varun Chakaravarthy replaces Vaibhav Arora. A slight delay as Ajinkya Rahane has cramped up here and the physio is in to check on him. Uh..oh! Not good signs for KKR as he is leaving the field now. Rinku Singh will act as the stand-in skipper. Also, Manish Pandey comes in as the substitute fielder.

Takes pace off now, on a good length, outside off. Ryan slices it with an open bat face to backward point. A dot to end the over.

SIX! Back to pace on, and it travels. Blessing Muzarabani pushes it across the left-hander, on a back of a length. Rickelton stands tall and pumps it over mid on for a flat six.

Slower bouncer, outside off. Rohit is deceived but manages to get it away towards short fine leg for another single.

Another pace off delivery, across off, on a back of a length. Rickelton punches it away, where the backward point makes a diving stop. Just a single.

Good change-up from Muzarabani. He follows the batter with a slower ball. On a length, on middle and leg. Sharma works it behind square leg for a single.

SIX! Absolutely pummeled! Blessing Muzarabani bends his back and digs it in short, over middle. Rohit premeditates as he backs away early and slams it over cover for a six.

SIX MORE! Ryan Rickelton gets just enough bat on it. Arora drags the length back and the line is closer to the off stump. Rickelton picks up the length early and swivels to play the pull. He takes on the man at deep mid-wicket and manages to clear him. 19 runs off the over!

SIX! Clean strike! Arora goes full in search of swing but ends up being a bit too full and offers width. Ryan Rickelton frees his arms, collapses his back knee and thumps it over deep cover for a six.

Going across, on a good length. Ryan Rickelton does not move his feet at all and just pushes out in front with his hands, only to be beaten on the outside edge.

Fuller and coming back in, on middle. Sharma glances it down to deep fine leg and turns the strike over.

SIX! When Rohit hits, they stay hit. Arora lands it on a back of a length, outside off. Sharma is allowed to free his arms and he goes with the swing of the ball. Dispatches the pull over deep mid-wicket for a biggie.

Swinging back in, on a good length, on off. Rohit taps it down with soft hands beside the strip on the off side. Sharma is keen for a single but Rickelton sends him back and rightly so, as Rinku Singh was quick to get to the ball.

Across off, on a length. Ryan caresses it to cover.

FOUR! High and far enough to evade the fielder. Blessing Muzarabani pitches it up, a hint of shape back in, on middle. Rickelton hangs low and looks to go down the ground. Skies it over mid on, where Ajinkya Rahane turns around and goes after it but cannot get to the ball in time. It bounces just in front of the boundary cushions before trickling into the ropes.

In and around the off stump, on a hard length. Sharma arches back and guides it to deep third for a single.

FOUR! Streaky! This is on a back of a length, around off. Rohit clears the front leg and has a heave across the line. Gets an inside edge that races down to deep fine leg for a boundary.

Skidding through, on a nagging length, on middle. Sharma nudges it to mid-wicket.

Muzarabani hits the deck hard and gets a good lift off the deck, over off. Rohit gets on his toes and stabs it down on the off side.

Blessing Muzarabani to share the attack on his IPL debut.

A flash and a miss! This is a bit wide, curving away, on a back of a length. Ryan Rickelton throws his hands at the ball but does not connect.

Beaten! In the corridor, on a short of a length. Rickelton gets on his toes and pokes at it. He is lucky not to nick this one behind.

Closer to the off stump, on a good length. A punchy drive by Ryan but it is cut off by Anukul Roy at point, who dives to his left to make the stop.

FOUR! Blessing Muzarabani should have done better there. On the fuller side, swinging away. Rickelton extends his hands into the drive. The ball catches an outside edge and goes down to deep third. The tall Muzarabani moves to his right but cannot get down low enough and lets it through for a four.

Leg bye! Shaping back into the pads, on a good length. Rohit is beaten on the tickle. A leg bye is taken as the ball goes behind square leg.

Mumbai Indians are underway! Moving away from the left-hander, on a back of a length. Rickelton hangs back and steers it to deep third. He picks up a single to get off the mark.

A dot to end the innings! Another yorker executed by Bumrah, outside the line of the leg stump. Ramandeep Singh walks across but fails to lay any bat on the attempted scoop. He has a look at the umpire but gets nothing. Singh reviews in the hope of getting a wide. The third umpire is summoned for a check. The replays show that the ball would have hit Ramandeep on his pads had he not moved. Kolkata Knight Riders end up with 220!

Bumrah nails the yorker, on middle. Rinku jams it out to long on for just a single.

In the air...but safe! Low full toss, on the pads. Rinku has a swing across the line but gets the height and not the distance. The deep mid-wicket fielder charges across to his left but the ball drops short. Two runs taken.

FOUR! Bumrah misses his mark and Rinku makes him pay. Yorker attempted by Jasprit, on off and middle. Rinku gives himself room and takes it on the full before carving it over backward point for a four.

A yorker from Bumrah, tailing back in, right at the base of the middle stump. Ramandeep Singh digs it out on the off side for a single.

Taken but it won't matter as it was a Free Hit. Jasprit Bumrah follows Rinku as he backs away. This is a low full toss, Rinku cannot get it away in the desired fashion. He crouches and swings away on the leg side. Holes out to deep backward square leg, where Naman Dhir gobbles it up and gets rid of the ball quickly. Just a single.

Wide! Goes full but down leg, Rinku walks inside the line and collects the extra run.

Well bowled. Uh, oh, the siren goes off. Bumrah has overstepped. Pushes the slower ball away from the left-hander as he spots Rinku jump out of the crease. Singh cannot reach the ball. Free Hit coming up.

Can Jasprit Bumrah keep KKR under 220 here?

Good running! Pitched up and on middle, Ramandeep Singh whips it towards deep mid-wicket and calls for two. Rinku Singh responds and the throw from Naman Dhir is a wild one, and the batters get the second easily. There is a chance for the third as well, but Rinku decides against it.

Hard length and on middle, Rinku Singh heaves it off the inner half of the bat towards deep square leg for one.

Back of a length and around off, Ramandeep Singh swats it to long on for a run.

The next batter in is Ramandeep Singh.

OUT! IN THE AIR AND GONE! Fifty and out for Angkrish Raghuvanshi. Hardik takes some pace off but this is right in the slot for the batter. Raghuvanshi hangs deep in the crease and looks to launch it down the ground. He is early into the shot and it is skied off the toe end of the blade. Tilak Varma settles under it by moving to his left at long off and takes the catch. The 30-ball 60-run stand comes to an end.

FOUR! It nearly went the distance. That brings up the FIFTY for Angkrish Raghuvanshi. Full and at pace, on off. Angkrish flashes and flashes hard with an open bat face. It gets sliced over the man at short third and bounces just in front of the boundary cushions. Since that dropped catch, Raghuvanshi has looked a different player.

Wide! Angkrish Raghuvanshi walks across his stumps for the scoop. Hardik bowls it on a good length and looks to push it away from the batter. Raghuvanshi fails to connect. Pandya is a bit perplexed by the wide call but opts against the review.

Nearly a yorker, on middle. Rinku clears the front leg and whips it to deep mid-wicket for one. The 200 is up for KKR. How much will they end up with?

Hardik Pandya to bowl the penultimate over. He has given away 29 runs in his first couple of overs.

Very full, tucking the batter up for room and not allowing him to get under the ball. Rinku carves it to deep point for one. Good comeback from Bumrah after conceding a boundary on the first ball. 8 runs off the over.

A pinpoint yorker, on middle. Angkrish Raghuvanshi squeezes it towards the vacant mid-wicket region for just a single.

Dipping slower ball, full and on leg. Rinku backs away and powers it to long off. They cross.

Low full toss, on middle. This is whipped to long on for a run.

Angkrish shows his cards early as he backs away, exposing all three stumps. Bumrah follows him with a yorker. Raghuvanshi can only pat it back to the bowler.

FOUR! Smart batting! Bumrah brings out the slower one but gets the length wrong. Full toss, around the off stump. Angkrish Raghuvanshi walks across his stumps and knows that square leg is up inside the circle. He sweeps it past that man for a four. That also brings up the 50-run stand between these two batters.

Jasprit Bumrah (2-0-16-0) is back on. His remaining 2 overs will be key to determining how much MI will chase.

FOUR! Up and over! A good finish to the over for KKR. Thakur digs it in short, on off. Rinku hops to get under the ball and flays it over the man at backward point for a four. 14 runs off Thakur's last over.

A swing and a miss! Off-cutter, running across the left-hander, on a length. Singh flashes but the ball keeps low and goes under the blade.

Slower bumper, on off. Angkrish rises with the bounce and helps the pull in front of square on the leg side for one.

SIX! Good hit! Cross seam ball, full and outside off. Raghuvanshi is standing deep in his crease, which allows him to get under the ball. He pumps it over wide long off for a biggie.

Angkrish Raghuvanshi was gone had the throw hit. Full and in line with the off stump. Raghuvanshi backs away and crunches the drive. It goes straight to extra cover, where Tilak Varma is stationed on the edge of the ring. Varma has a shy at the bowling end but misses. The batters sneak in an overthrow as the ball rolls between deep square leg and deep mid-wicket.

Yorker attempted by Thakur. It comes out as a lowish full toss, at the toes. Rinku jams it out to deep square leg for one.

Shardul Thakur (3-0-25-3) to bowl out now.

Hurls it full, on off. Rinku hits it all along the ground to long off. Just a single. End of a wicketless outing for Boult. He finishes with figures of 4-0-38-0.

Low full toss, on middle. Rinku brings his wrists into play and works it to the left of long on for a brace.

Wide! Bangs it in short now, over middle. Rinku ducks under it. Too high for the umpire's liking. Wide given.

Nails the yorker, at the base of the middle pole. Angkrish slices it through point for a single.

Angled into the pads. Rinku turns it behind square leg for a run.

Keeps it nice and full at the sticks. Singh angles the bat face to beat extra cover with the drive but can't beat Tilak Varma there.

FOUR! Nicely done! Boult spots Rinku backing away and he looks to follow him with a yorker. Ends up serving a low full toss. Rinku gets low and carves it over point for a boundary.

Trent Boult (3-0-28-0) comes back on.

SIX! Salt to the wounds! AM Ghazanfar gives this one some more air, full and on middle. Angkrish Raghuvanshi clears his front leg and dispatches it over the bowler's head. There is no one catching that as the ball sails over the fence for a biggie.

DROPPED AND FOUR! Rohit Sharma has made a mess of that near the ropes. Floated, full and on middle, Angkrish Raghuvanshi looks to loft it down the ground but does not get the timing right. It is skied towards long on, where Rohit settles under it. He stretches both his hands to grab it, but spills out, and the ball drops and rolls to the fence. He could have taken a further step back but he just was not aware of his surroundings.

Another dot ball! Quicker one, full and outside off, Angkrish Raghuvanshi changes his stance for the reverse sweep but misses.

Fires this one, full and outside off, Rinku Singh throws his hands at it and gets an outside edge along the ground towards short third. The batters set off for the run, and the fielder hits the stumps at the bowler's end but Rinku is well in.

Flighted, full and on middle, Rinku Singh drives it away wide of sweeper cover for a couple of runs.

After two unsuccessful attempts and pulling out, AM Ghazanfar has asked for the towel from the umpire. Signs of dew settling in already?

FOUR! Top shot! Floated, short and just outside off. Rinku Singh allows the ball to come to him, uses the width and cuts it away through point for a lovely boundary.

Hardik Pandya brings back AM Ghazanfar. The Afghan spinner will bowl out now. 3-0-34-0 so far for Ghazanfar.

Picks out the fielder! This is a full toss, on middle, there to be hit. Angkrish Raghuvanshi backs away and drives it firmly but straight to extra cover.

FOUR! Streaky! Shardul Thakur bangs this into the pitch around off, a slower one as well. Angkrish Raghuvanshi slashes hard at it and gets a thick outside edge that flies to the third man fence for a one-bounce four. Also, 150 is up for KKR now.

Fuller and on off, Rinku Singh looks to push it away but gets an inside edge onto his pads as the ball rolls to the off side. They cross.

End of a top knock from the KKR skipper. Rinku Singh makes his way out to the middle.

OUT! TAKEN! Shardul Thakur keeps picking up the wickets here. Number 3 for him and the Mumbai Indians. Fuller delivery and around off, pace on this time. Ajinkya Rahane looks to loft it with a straight bat but loses his shape and his bat turns in his hands as well. He ends up mistiming it in the air towards extra cover, where Hardik Pandya backtracks and takes a good catch.

Low full toss, on off, Angkrish Raghuvanshi stays deep inside his crease and flicks it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Nicely bowled! Short of a length and around off, takes pace off. Angkrish Raghuvanshi backs away and tries to cut it away but goes through the shot early and misses.

STRATEGIC BREAK! Good last couple of overs for the Mumbai Indians. With plenty of batting still to come, Kolkata Knight Riders just need to keep going. Apart from the odd ball that has held in the wicket, batters have been able to hit through the line, and KKR will be aiming somewhere around 220. There are still two overs of Jasprit Bumrah and one of Trent Boult left in the bank, and those three overs could well make the difference in what KKR end up with. Shardul Thakur is back in the attack. He has taken the two wickets that have fallen so far, but how will he fare in his remaining two overs, and can he maintain that impact? Let's find out.

Pitched up and on middle and leg, follows the batter. Angkrish Raghuvanshi backs away and drives it to extra cover for just one. Just 13 runs in the last two!

FOUR! Easy pickings! Trent Boult errs in line and serves this full, but on the pads. Angkrish Raghuvanshi just has to get some bat on it and he glances it well wide of short fine for a boundary.

Gets it in the blockhole, on off, Angkrish Raghuvanshi opens the face of his bat and squeezes it wide of deep point and comes back for the second run.

Clever bowling! Goes fuller and just outside off, gives no pace at all, Angkrish Raghuvanshi goes down to swipe it across the line but misses as the ball goes under his bat to the keeper.

Low full toss again, on middle, Ajinkya Rahane lobs it off the toe-end of the bat towards long on for a single.

A low full toss, on middle, very hard to get these away. Ajinkya Rahane knocks it back down the pitch. MI are pulling things back a bit here.

Fuller in length and angling into the pads, Ajinkya Rahane flicks it to deep mid-wicket for one more. Just 5 runs off the over!

Takes pace off, but gets the yorker in again, on middle, Angkrish Raghuvanshi bunts it out towards long on for one.

On target once again, right in the blockhole, on middle. Angkrish Raghuvanshi can only dig it back to the bowler.

Nails the yorker, pace on this time, tailing in sharply as well. Ajinkya Rahane gets his bat down in time to dig it out to the off side. They cross.

A slower yorker now, on off, Angkrish Raghuvanshi waits for it and jams it out towards long on for a run.

Short of a length and on off, angles it in and takes pace off. Ajinkya Rahane arches his back and steers it to short third for a single.

Jasprit Bumrah returns to the attack. He conceded 11 runs in his only over so far.

Fires this one, full and on middle and leg, Angkrish Raghuvanshi goes down and across to paddle it but miscues it off the toe-end of the bat as the ball goes nowhere. Good comeback from Ghazanfar in the last 3 balls of the over.

Quicker one, shortish and on middle, Ajinkya Rahane goes down for the sweep but misses. The ball hits his body and deflects towards short third. A leg bye taken. A slight appeal for LBW, but turned down.

Slower through the air, full and on middle, turns away a bit, Ajinkya Rahane knocks it down the pitch.

Drops it a bit short and around leg, Ajinkya Rahane stays back and flicks it towards deep mid-wicket for a couple of more runs.

Floated, full and on leg, Ajinkya Rahane tucks it away with soft hands through mid-wicket and comes back for the second run.

SIX! Makes it look easy! Tossed up, full and on middle, in the slot as well. Ajinkya Rahane clears his front leg, gets right under it and launches it way over the long on fence for a biggie.

Change of ends for AM Ghazanfar. 2-0-24-0 so far for the Afghan spinner.

Fractionally short, on middle. Ajinkya pulls it to deep square leg for another single.

On a short of a length, on middle. This is turned through square leg for a run.

FOUR! Clever batting! Boult bowls it on a back of a length, on top of off. Angkrish Raghuvanshi waits on it on the back foot and does not have much room to work with. He just uses the pace on the ball and steers it behind point for a boundary.

On the pads by Boult, Ajinkya works it in front of square on the leg side and takes a single.

FIFTY FOR RAHANE! Ajinkya Rahane just oozes class, and he has started this season in the same way he did last year. The KKR skipper brings up his 34th IPL half-century. Across off, on a back of a length, Ajinkya flashes at it. Gets an outside edge and it goes on the bounce to Mayank Markande on the edge of the circle at short third. He fails to make a clean stop and gives away a couple of runs.

Full and on middle. Raghuvanshi whips it to wide long on for a single.

Hardik Pandya brings Trent Boult back in the attack.

On a good length, on off. Angkrish Raghuvanshi runs it down to deep third and opens his account with a single.

Angkrish Raghuvanshi joins Ajinkya Rahane out in the middle now.

OUT! CAUGHT! Shardul Thakur breaks through for MI once again. It is that slower ball which has done the trick for Thakur one more time. Thakur digs it in short, and it might well have been called a wide for height had Cameron left it. Green hops and gets his bat high to get on top of the bounce. He goes hard and is airborne while playing the shot. He picks out the man at deep cover. Sherfane Rutherford runs in off the ropes and dives forward to take a good catch. The 40-run stand has been broken.

Slower one, on a good length, outside off. Rahane moves over to the off side for the scoop. Ekes out an inside edge onto the pads and the batters sneak in a single as the ball goes away on the off side.

Very full, on middle. Green flicks it to deep mid-wicket. They cross.

FOUR! Lovely shot! Pace on now from Thakur, on a back of a length, outside off. Green stays leg side of the ball and uses the pace on offer. Opens the face of the bat at the last moment and glides it between short third and backward point for a four.

Takes pace off and bashes the surface, keeping it outside off. Green hops and slaps it with a horizontal bat wide of long off. Tilak Varma sprints to his left and mops it up. Two runs taken.

Shardul Thakur comes back into the attack. He went for 10 runs and picked up a wicket in his first over.

Around the off stump, on a nagging length. Green taps it away to deep point for one more. A relatively quiet over, 7 runs off it.

The 100 is up for KKR! Floated up, into the pads. Ajinkya clips it square on the leg side and turns the strike over.

Wide! Sprays it down leg, Rahane lets it be.

Short and angled into the right-hander, Cameron works it to deep fine leg and crosses over.

Flicked from the front of the hand, on a good length, outside off. This is punched to deep cover for another single.

Drifts down leg, on the shorter side. Green nurdles it through backward square leg and gets to the other end.

Full and fired in, on off. Rahane drives it to long on for a single.

Strategic Break! The first couple of overs were relatively quiet, but after that, it has been carnage from the KKR batters. Skipper Ajinkya Rahane has led from the front, and the intent has been pretty clear from the visitors. They are going to keep attacking the bowlers, not worrying about wickets. Mumbai Indians are in a spot of bother and needed this break to come up with some different plans, as only wickets can help them contain the run flow here. Also, AM Ghazanfar is to bowl after the break.

SIX! Cameron Green joins the six-hitting party. Mayank Markande gives the ball a lot of air but ends up serving it right in the slot. Too full, on off and middle. Green needs no second invitation. He gets down on a knee and slogs it over wide long on for half a dozen. Markande goes for 16 runs in his opening over.

Dishes out the wrong 'un, fuller and on middle and leg. Rahane turns it away on the leg side for a run.

SIX! High and long enough! Not that bad a ball from Markande. On a nagging length, in line with the off stump. Rahane just gets the front leg out of the way and hits through the line of the ball. Puts his head down and launches it over long off for his fourth six of the game.

A prolonged shout for LBW but turned down. Mayank Markande seems confident and after a chat with the keeper and the bowler, Hardik Pandya takes the review. This slides into the right-hander, full and attacking the front pad. Rahane reaches out in front and looks to work it away on the leg side with a closed bat face. He is beaten on the inside edge and gets rapped on the front pad. No bat involved but the Ball Tracking has the ball missing the leg stump. MI lose their first review.

This is pushed through, on the fuller side, Ajinkya knocks it from the crease and the cover fielder lets it through. By the time the sweeper cover can get around, Rahane turns back for the second run and completes it.

Markande begins with a flighted delivery, on a length, on off. Green eases it to long off and crosses over.

End of Powerplay! Safe to say, Kolkata Knight Riders will be the happier side at the moment. However, this game will be won and lost in the middle overs, and it will be interesting to see how both teams react now. Here is Mayank Markande to bowl some leggies now.

FOUR! Hit hard and wide enough! Pace on, on a good length, outside off. Stand and deliver stuff from the KKR skipper. Rahane swings through the line and pumps it to the left of mid on for a four. At the end of 6 overs, Kolkata Knight Riders are 78/1.

In the corridor, on a length. Ajinkya Rahane goes hard at it and loses his shape. Miscues it off the inner half of the bat to mid on.

FOUR! Class written all over it! Thakur offers width, fractionally on a short of a length. The ball keeps a shade low and Rahane lets the ball come to him. He gets on top of the bounce and punches it on the up to the right of cover for a boundary.

On a good length, around off, Green presses forward and taps it wide of cover, where Rohit Sharma tumbles to his left and cuts it off. Green gets off the mark with a single.

The crowd finds its voice again with that wicket. That brings the most expensive overseas player in IPL history, Cameron Green, out in the middle.

OUT! CAUGHT! The golden arm of Shardul Thakur strikes. A much-needed breakthrough for MI. Thakur serves the off-cutter at 117 kph, on a length and slightly outside the hitting arc of Allen on the off side. Finn reaches out and swings at it. He does not pick the change of pace and ends up dragging it straight down the throat of long on, where Tilak Varma moves to his right and makes no mistake. Allen has done what was asked of him, though, to provide a brisk start.

Starts with a short ball, outside off. Rahane rises with the bounce and drags the pull behind square leg for a single.

Shardul Thakur to close out the Powerplay.

Bangs this into the pitch, on off, slower as well, Ajinkya Rahane gets on top of the bounce and swats it to deep mid-wicket for one. 11 runs from Bumrah's first over!

Good length and on middle, Ajinkya Rahane tucks it away to mid-wicket.

Hard length and on off, Finn Allen forces it to the right of mid off and sets off for the single. Hardik Pandya fails to pick it up cleanly, or else there could have been a chance of a run out.

FOUR! No one is getting spared here! A slower delivery, good length and on off. Finn Allen has a hoick across the line but goes through the shot early due to the lack of pace. The ball takes the inside half of the bat and goes over mid-wicket for a boundary.

On a length and on middle, Ajinkya Rahane steps across and flicks it through square leg for a single.

FOUR! Excellent shot! Jasprit Bumrah pitches it up, on middle and leg, Ajinkya Rahane just uses the pace on the ball and tickles it fine past short fine leg for a boundary.

Wow! After a quiet start with just 14 runs off the first 2 overs, the next 2 have gone for 43 runs. Hardik Pandya turns to Jasprit Bumrah in search of a breakthrough.

FOUR MORE! 26 runs off the over! This is short and around middle. Finn Allen anticipates the length early, shuffles across to get inside the line and scoops it past short fine for another boundary.

FOUR! Powered away! Hardik Pandya misses the yorker and serves this full, on middle. Finn Allen stays deep inside his crease and thumps it past the bowler for another cracking boundary. 50 UP FOR KKR in double quick time.

WIDE! Goes for the bouncer but spills it way down the leg side, Finn Allen lets it go. Called a wide.

FOUR! Put away! Back of a length and off, not short enough to trouble the batter. Finn Allen has a heave across the line. Gets it from the toe-end of the bat but finds the gap at deep square leg for four more runs.

Hard length and on middle, Ajinkya Rahane stays back to clip it away but misses. The ball hits his body and drops on the pitch as the batters sneak in a leg bye.

SIX MORE! Much flatter but the same result! Short of a length and on middle and leg, angling in again. Ajinkya Rahane uses the pace on the ball, swivels and pulls it flat and over the deep fine leg fence for another biggie.

SIX! It's raining sixes here in Mumbai! A little too straight from Hardik Pandya, full and angling into the pads. Ajinkya Rahane plays the pick-up shot off his pads and deposits it over the fine leg fence for the fourth six of the game.

Hardik Pandya to continue.

SIX! You just cannot bowl there! AM Ghazanfar drags his length way back, on middle and leg, begging to be put away. Finn Allen opens up his stance and whacks it over the deep square leg fence for half a dozen more. 17 runs off the over.

Fires this one full and on leg, Finn Allen fails to flick it away and gets hit on the pads as the ball rolls towards short third.

SIX! That has gone way back into the stands! This is another short delivery, on middle. Finn Allen picks up the length early, transfers his weight on the back foot and muscles it over the deep mid-wicket fence for a biggie.

FOUR! Short and punished! AM Ghazanfar bowls a half-tracker, on middle, turning into leg. Finn Allen has all the time in the world to rock back and pull it over square leg for a boundary.

Pushed through quicker, full and on middle, angling in again. Finn Allen moves back to flick but gets hurried. The ball goes off the inner half of the bat towards square leg.

Floated, full and on middle, angling in, Ajinkya Rahane clips it through square leg for a single. He wants the second but is sent back.

Just the one over for Trent Boult in his opening spell. Hardik Pandya brings on spin inside the Powerplay in the form of AM Ghazanfar.

Swing and a miss! Short of a length and on off, takes pace off. Finn Allen tries to pull it over mid-wicket but the ball once again does not bounce much and he misses. A tidy over from Pandya!

Good-length delivery, on off, Finn Allen pushes it away towards mid off.

FOUR! Finn Allen gets off the mark in a streaky fashion! Hardik Pandya hits the length hard, on middle, does not bounce that much. Allen goes for the heave across the line. Gets an inside edge that races down to the fine leg fence for a boundary.

Three dots in a row! Back of a length and around off, Finn Allen stays back and punches it towards mid off. The fielder fumbles a bit but no harm done.

Fuller again and on off, shapes away a touch, Finn Allen drills it wide of the bowler. Hardik Pandya on his follow-through gets down well to his left to make a one-handed stop.

Right on the money! Hardik Pandya begins with a full delivery, on middle, attacking the stumps. Finn Allen gets behind the line of it and blocks it out.

Hardik Pandya brings himself on from the other end. Hardik had the option of bringing AM Ghazanfar against Finn Allen, but he has taken the new ball himself.

Hits the length hard, on off, Ajinkya Rahane stabs it off the inner half of the bat as the ball rolls down the pitch. 10 runs off the first over!

Good effort in the deep! Pitched up and angling into the pads, Ajinkya Rahane glances it away nicely wide of deep fine. Naman Dhir quickly moves to his right and makes a fine diving stop, saving a couple of runs for his side.

Pulls his length back a bit, on off, Ajinkya Rahane miscues his drive off the bottom part of his bat towards mid off.

SIX! First runs off the bat and it's a big one! Trent Boult goes a bit too full, on middle, but no movement this time. Ajinkya Rahane gets his front foot across and, using his wrists, he chips it over the long on fence for the first biggie of the night.

WIDE! Goes very wide outside off, fuller but over the tramline, Ajinkya Rahane fails to reach out for it. Another wide called.

Lands this on a good length and around off, angling away, Ajinkya Rahane opens the face of his bat and guides it straight to point.

Bit of movement again! Trent Boult gets his line right this time, bowls this on middle and off, swinging it in. Ajinkya Rahane blocks it down the pitch.

WIDE! Kolkata Knight Riders get underway with extras! Trent Boult starts with a fuller delivery, but around leg, shaping further in. Ajinkya Rahane leaves it alone. Wided.

We are all set to get going. As always, it is a sea of blue at the Wankhede. Hardik Pandya has his troops in a huddle near the ropes. The KKR skipper, Ajinkya Rahane, walks out to open alongside Finn Allen. Trent Boult has the new ball in hand. Boult has picked 32 wickets in the first over in IPL, informs Harsha Bhogle. Rahane will face the first ball. A slip awaits. Let's go...

Impact Players for Kolkata Knight Riders - Manish Pandey, Tejasvi Singh, Kartik Tyagi, Saurabh Dubey and Rovman Powell.

Kolkata Knight Riders (Playing XI) - Finn Allen, Ajinkya Rahane (C), Cameron Green, Angkrish Raghuvanshi (WK), Rinku Singh, Ramandeep Singh, Anukul Roy, Sunil Narine, Varun Chakaravarthy, Vaibhav Arora and Blessing Muzarabani.

Impact Players for Mumbai Indians - Suryakumar Yadav, Corbin Bosch, Robin Minz, Raj Bawa and Ashwani Kumar.

Mumbai Indians (Playing XI) - Rohit Sharma, Ryan Rickelton (WK), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya (C), Sherfane Rutherford, Naman Dhir, Shardul Thakur, Mayank Markande, AM Ghazanfar, Trent Boult and Jasprit Bumrah.

The team has prepared well - The captain of the Kolkata Knight Riders, Ajinkya Rahane says that they would have bowled first as well. Adds that he is surprised to see this much grass on the wicket. Shares that the preparation has been good, they trained for ten days in Kolkata and a couple of days here in Mumbai as well. Rahane mentions that all the domestic players are coming off good seasons, and it is nice to start here in Mumbai. On MI's superior head-to-head record, he says that that's in the past and they want to focus on what's in front of them. Rahane says that they have had a few injuries, but have most of the players for now. Ends by saying that the four overseas players are Sunil Narine, Cameron Green, Finn Allen and Blessing Muzarabani.

Excited to get going - The skipper of the Mumbai Indians, Hardik Pandya says they will bowl first, adding that it looks like a good track, albeit a bit greener than usual. He mentions they want to assess how it behaves. Speaks about the wonderful support they have received over the years, calling it their fortress, and says the aim is to play good cricket and entertain the fans. Pandya shares that the team started preparations a couple of weeks ago, giving them enough time to get ready. He highlights the mix of youth and experience in the squad and says everyone is excited to get going. Hardik also points out that with players like Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav and Mitchell Santner, there is no shortage of leadership in the group. HP confirms that Jasprit Bumrah will play tonight, and that they are going in with a combination of 6 bowlers and 5 batters.

TOSS - The two captains are out in the middle, with Ravi Shastri presenting the toss. Hardik Pandya gives the coin a flip, and it lands in his favour. Mumbai Indians elect to BOWL first.

PITCH REPORT - Pommie Mbangwa says the Wankhede Stadium is looking a pretty picture. The square boundaries are equidistant at 64 metres, with 75 metres straight down the ground. He also notes that the venue averages around 14 sixes per IPL game. Michael Clarke calls the surface an absolute beauty, as usual. He points out a little bit of grass, which is slightly surprising, but feels it will help hold the pitch together and offer a bit of extra pace and bounce with the new ball. Clarke further says that change of pace will be crucial on this surface. He shares that teams generally prefer to chase here, making the most of the dew factor later in the game. Pommie feels that 200 is the benchmark, noting that it's the average winning score when batting first at this venue in the last 10 IPL games.

Time to hear from the KKR camp - Finn Allen describes it as a very exciting time, saying he had been waiting for this moment for a while. He calls it one of those moments players live for, getting the chance to feature in the biggest T20 tournament in the world. Allen mentions the team had a couple of practice games, and they have been in Mumbai for the last 3 or 4 days, which has helped familiarise themselves with the conditions. Finn states that tapping into the knowledge of players who have played a lot of cricket here has also helped. He adds that a few meetings and time spent together have helped the group quickly build a strong bond.

A quick chat - Trent Boult of the Mumbai Indians is up for a chat with the broadcasters. He says that it is good to be back. Adds that the preparation has been good and the group is gelling nicely. Boult mentions that the last time they won their opening game was 13 years back, but there hasn't been a time when they didn't try to win the game and are focused on this one. Boult says that he leaves the talking to the professionals and is pretty clear about what he wants to do in this game. Further adds that he may potentially come up against three Kiwis, and it will be a good challenge. Says that kids these days bat fearlessly, referring to Finn Allen. He reckons if one of them has an off day, the others will back themselves to do the job.

What could decide it? As always at the Wankhede, conditions are expected to play a major role, with dew likely to influence the second innings and make the toss crucial. Powerplay intent, particularly from both top orders, and execution at the death could ultimately shape the result on a ground where big scores are the norm. With Mumbai aiming to break their opening-game jinx and Kolkata adjusting to both injuries and combinations, this contest could come down to which side adapts quicker and handles the key moments better. Stay tuned for toss and other updates.

Reshuffle and response - Kolkata Knight Riders arrive with plenty to figure out despite their strong squad. They have been among the worst-hit sides due to injuries, losing two of their premier pacers, which leaves them with a makeshift pace attack and forces a rethink in strategy. The addition of Cameron Green, their highest-priced buy at the mini auction, brings versatility, while the explosive duo of Finn Allen and Tim Seifert, fresh off an impressive T20 World Cup offer firepower at the top, though accommodating both could be tricky. Ajinkya Rahane leads the side and boasts a strong record against Mumbai, including five fifties and a Powerplay strike rate nearing 170 since IPL 2023, while Sunil Narine's control in the early overs remains vital. They will, however, feel the absence of Andre Russell, whose impact over the years has been immense.

The opener jinx - Mumbai Indians enter this game with a fascinating mix of dominance and desperation. They have historically bossed this rivalry with a win percentage of 68.57 against Kolkata, and Rohit Sharma, in particular, has enjoyed facing them over the years. Yet, an unwanted streak lingers - Mumbai haven't won their opening game of an IPL season since 2012, losing 13 on the bounce, and will be eager to end that run at home. With Suryakumar Yadav striking at over 170 last season and Hardik Pandya bringing all-round value to the XI, their batting remains explosive, while Jasprit Bumrah continues to be their go-to man in pressure phases, especially at the death.

A clash of giants at Wankhede - The spotlight shifts to the Wankhede Stadium for a marquee IPL 2026 encounter as Mumbai Indians take on Kolkata Knight Riders. Two of the three most successful teams in the tournament's history, sharing eight titles between them, bring both pedigree and pressure into this clash. Welcome to the live coverage of what promises to be a high-scoring contest, with this venue producing an average winning score of 200 in the last 10 IPL games and chasing sides often holding the advantage under lights.

... MATCH DAY ...

A night of new beginnings - The City of Dreams once again becomes the stage where ambitions take flight, as the Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders begin their quest for glory in the 2026 season at the Wankhede Stadium. These are two of the three franchises in the tournament’s history to have multiple titles to their name. Both sides carry not just rich legacies but also the weight of expectations, each looking to script another memorable chapter. Chasing a sixth crown - Mumbai Indians' last title came in 2020, and they now find themselves once again in pursuit of adding to their legacy. They are a side that often takes time to find their rhythm, but once they do, they become nearly unstoppable. Last season was a perfect reflection of that identity. With just 1 win in their first 5 games, they were under early pressure, but what followed was a strong statement of intent. 6 consecutive victories powered them into the playoffs, before their journey was halted in Qualifier 2 by the Punjab Kings. Strong Indian core - The five-time champions, led by Hardik Pandya, arrive once again with a formidable Indian core in Rohit Sharma, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, and Jasprit Bumrah. This group provides both stability and match-winning ability across departments. Overseas strength - Much of MI's strength lies in the depth and versatility of their overseas contingent. Trent Boult remains a proven match-winner with the ball, while the addition of Afghan mystery spinner AM Ghazanfar adds an element of intrigue. Their all-round options in Sherfane Rutherford, Mitchell Santner, Will Jacks, and Corbin Bosch offer balance and flexibility across varying conditions. The South African duo of Quinton de Kock and Ryan Rickelton further strengthens the batting, with de Kock's performances in the 2019 and 2020 title-winning campaigns still serving as a benchmark. Domestic depth - There is also a strong emphasis on domestic depth. MI have shown considerable faith in Punjab batter Naman Dhir, who has been with the setup for the past couple of seasons. Shardul Thakur, traded in from KKR, brings valuable experience and a deep understanding of Wankhede conditions. Leg-spinner Mayank Markande also returns to the franchise, while Deepak Chahar and Ashwani Kumar continue for another season. A left-arm pace option in Mohammad Izhar could potentially be the next young talent unearthed by MI's scouting system. Danish Malewar comes into the season on the back of a prolific run in red-ball cricket, though how well that form translates into the T20 format remains to be seen. Meanwhile, Robin Minz adds another exciting dimension, offering power and promise as one of the emerging names to watch. Reset and rebuild - For Kolkata Knight Riders, the narrative is one of resurgence. After reaching the pinnacle in 2024, they endured a dramatic fall in 2025, finishing 8th with just 5 wins in 14 games. That disappointment has triggered a reset, with reinforcements in the squad, and a change in leadership off the field, with Abhishek Nayar stepping in as head coach. They continue to be led by Ajinkya Rahane with Rinku Singh serving as his deputy. Injury concerns - Their buildup to the season has been far from ideal. Injuries have already taken a toll, with Harshit Rana and Akash Deep ruled out, while Matheesha Pathirana, the slingy Sri Lankan quick, signed for INR 18 crore, continues his recovery from a calf strain and is expected to return only by mid-April, according to head coach Abhishek Nayar. In this scenario, the role of Blessing Muzarabani becomes even more significant. The responsibility will also fall on the Indian pace unit of Vaibhav Arora, Kartik Tyagi, Navdeep Saini, and Umran Malik, who will need to step up and deliver consistently if KKR are to stay competitive. The post-Russell era - Perhaps the biggest shift for KKR is the dawn of a new era, one without Andre Russell. A talisman for over a decade and a key figure in their 2024 title-winning campaign, Russell's retirement leaves behind a void that is as much about presence as it is about performance. Restoring the firepower - In response, KKR have opted for a collective approach to replace that firepower, while retaining Rovman Powell and Ramandeep Singh, both of whom bring power and finishing ability in the middle order. The explosive Kiwi duo of Finn Allen and Tim Seifert promises aggressive starts at the top, while the acquisition of Cameron Green for INR 25.20 crore, making him the most expensive overseas player, underlines their intent to rebuild with impact players. Rachin Ravindra adds further depth to the overseas contingent, though he will be keen to translate his success in other formats into consistent performances in T20 cricket. Spin strength - The spin department continues to revolve around two key figures in Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy, a pair that has been central to KKR's success over the years. They are supported by Anukul Roy, along with Prashant Solanki and Daksh Kamra, who provide additional options. Kamra, in particular, is cut from a similar cloth to Narine and Chakaravarthy in terms of bowling style. Indian presence in the batting unit - Back in the purple and gold is Rahul Tripathi after an underwhelming season with CSK in 2025. Much will be expected from Angkrish Raghuvanshi following his stellar performances last season, while it remains to be seen what role Manish Pandey, a long-serving member of the franchise, will play in this setup. Team form (Last 5 completed games, recent first) - MI - LWLWL | KKR - LLWWL. Wankhede dominance - At the Wankhede Stadium, the numbers strongly favour the Mumbai Indians. In 12 meetings at this venue, MI have won 10 matches, while KKR have managed just 2 victories. The overall head-to-head record is dominated by the Mumbai Indians, who have 24 wins compared to 11 for the Knight Riders. However, recent history tells a different story. Kolkata have had the upper hand in recent seasons and completed the double over Mumbai in both 2022 and 2024. Scoring trends - Looking at the last three seasons at Wankhede, with 7 matches played each year, there has been a steady decline in scoring rates. The runs per over were 10.14 in 2023, dropped to 9.54 in 2024, and further declined to 8.93 in 2025. Bowlers have had an increasing influence on the game, reflected in the drop in average runs per wicket from 35.54 in 2023 to 25.85 in 2025. The number of wickets has also risen, from 77 in 2023 to 90 in both 2024 and 2025. The Mumbai Indians have not won their opening game since 2012, but will they finally break the streak, or will KKR keep them waiting? We shall find out.