Mumbai Indian (MI) returned to winning ways after defeating Gujarat Titans (GT) by a massive margin of 99 runs on Monday, April 20 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Pacer Ashwani Kumar played a key role in Mumbai's comeback win against the Shubman Gill-led side.
Big feat for Ashwani Kumar
In the second innings, Ashwani removed GT skipper Shubman Gill on a cheap score of 14 runs off 13 balls. Later, the young speedster dismissed key batters like Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia and Rashid Khan to help MI cross the finish line.
Ashwani finished the game with a match-winning spell off 4/24, which are similar to the figures recorded by him on his IPL debut against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in 2025.
While picking up crucial wickets, the left-arm pacer surpassed Jasprit Bumrah to become the youngest MI bowler to take two four-wicket hauls. Bumrah had held this feat since the 2020 season, while before him, the record belonged to Sri-Lankan icon Lasith Malinga.
Ashwin clinched his second four-wicket haul at the age of 24 years and 234 days, significantly younger than Bumrah, who was 26 years 335 days old at the time when he achieved the same milestone for Mumbai Indians in the IPL.
Tilak Varma's outstanding batting for MI vs GT
It was Tilak Varma's century that gave Mumbai a positive momentum and helped to reach 199/5 at the end of the first innings. However, Tilak started off with a cautious approach, scoring 19 off 22 without a single boundary. But, a hard-talk from skipper Hardik Pandya changed it all for him.
In the death overs, Tilak accelerated his innings with amassing over 82 runs in the next 23 deliveries. The star left-handed batter fetched 26 runs off Ashok Sharma in the 18th over with the help of three sixes and two fours.
Next challenge for Mumbai Indians in IPL 2026
After a comeback win against GT, MI will turn their focus to face their arch rivals Chennai Super Kings in their upcoming game in IPL 2026. The game will take place Thursday, April 23 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.