Ashwani Kumar is a promising 23-year-old Indian cricketer from Mohali, Punjab, known for his left-arm medium pace bowling. He recently made headlines with a record-breaking debut in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for the Mumbai Indians.
Career Overview
- Born on August 29, 2001, in Jhanjeri, Mohali, Punjab.
- Represents Punjab in domestic cricket and has played for teams like BLV Blasters and Agri King’s Knights in T20 leagues.
- Made his first-class debut for Punjab against Rajasthan in December 2019.
- Known for his ability to swing the ball both ways and deliver under pressure.
Domestic Cricket Stats
- First-Class: Played 2 matches, scoring 22 runs with a high score of 22*; economy rate under 4.
- List A: Best bowling figures of 3/37 against Arunachal Pradesh.
- T20s: Highlight performance includes a 4/21 against Trident Stallions; strike rate under 17 but economy over 10.
IPL Performance
- Ashwani Kumar made his IPL debut for the Mumbai Indians on March 31, 2025, against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), delivering an extraordinary performance:
- Figures: 4 wickets for 24 runs in three overs.
- Dismissed Ajinkya Rahane on his very first ball, followed by Rinku Singh, Manish Pandey, and Andre Russell in subsequent overs.
- His spell helped Mumbai Indians restrict KKR to just 116 runs—the lowest total of the season—and secured MI’s victory.
- Became the first Indian bowler to take four wickets on IPL debut and joined an elite group of bowlers with standout debut performances like Alzarri Joseph (6/12) and Andrew Tye (5/17).
Achievements
- Bought by Mumbai Indians for ₹30 lakh ahead of IPL 2025.
- His debut figures are among the best by any bowler in IPL history and have established him as a rising star in Indian cricket.
Ashwani Kumar’s impressive start to his IPL career has positioned him as a player to watch out for in future tournaments.
