Rickelton and Rohit muscle Mumbai to high-scoring IPL win over Kolkata

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/cricket/kolkata-knight-riders-nmRRRXaA/mumbai-indians-2eZPzJH2/?mid=AqCbjeCO"]Chasing 221 for victory[/a], five‑time champions [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/mumbai-indians/2eZPzJH2/"]Mumbai[/a] rode a commanding 148-run opening stand from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sharma-rohit/zBLBQRyA/"]Rohit[/a] (78) and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rickelton-ryan/xOotum0C/"]Rickelton[/a] (81) to reach their target with five balls to spare at the Wankhede Stadium.[/p][p]Mumbai - the most successful team in the IPL, along with fellow five-time winners Chennai Super Kings - won their opening match in the league for the first time since 2012.[/p][p][b]"It's been a long wait - 13 years is a long time,"[/b] skipper Hardik Pandya said on breaking the opening game jinx.[/p][p][b]"Very glad, the whole team is very glad that we were finally able to do it."[/b][/p][embed guid="0a833323-0576-4fd8-a5df-adec2acbc5e0" url="https://x.com/mipaltan/status/2038314165178425507" social-type="twitter" /][p]The 38-year-old Rohit, who plays just the 50-over format for India after retiring from Test and T20 internationals, hit six fours and six sixes in his 38-ball knock.[/p][p]His batting blitz came a day after long-time international teammate Virat Kohli steered [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/news/kohli-and-duffy-star-as-rcb-down-sunrisers-in-ipl-season-opener/pnLq7paL/"]Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a big win in the tournament opener.[/a][/p][p]It needed a special effort to dismiss Rohit, and Anukul Roy pulled off a stunning catch while running back from mid-on to finally dislodge the star batter.[/p][p]South African wicketkeeper-batter Rickelton kept up the attack as he hit his eighth six after Rohit's departure, continuing the pummelling of the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/kolkata-knight-riders/nmRRRXaA/"]Kolkata[/a] attack.[/p][p]He was finally run out after a direct throw from Roy hit the stumps at the non-striker's end.[/p][p]Mumbai's chase slowed down before Pandya, unbeaten on 18, and Tilak Varma, who made 20, helped the team get over the line.[/p][p][b]"I thought 220-225 was a good total. We batted really well, but again, the inexperienced bowling attack," [/b]Kolkata skipper [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rahane-ajinkya/Mor6gr63/"]Ajinkya Rahane[/a] said.[/p][p][b]"Playing against Mumbai Indians, strong batting lineup, it's really a learning curve for us."[/b][/p][embed guid="3a0a120d-8490-423b-86a8-d280ed3c2929" url="https://x.com/mipaltan/status/2038304780737786271" social-type="twitter" /][p]Pandya won the toss and invited three-time winners Kolkata to bat first amid a loud roar from the home Mumbai crowd.[/p][p]Rahane and New Zealand's Finn Allen handed Kolkata a blazing start, and the team finished on 220-4.[/p][p]Rahane went on to hit 67 off 40 balls after Allen fell for 37. Australia all-rounder Cameron Green, the most expensive overseas buy in IPL history, contributed 18.[/p][p]Rinku Singh's unbeaten 33 off 21 balls gave Kolkata a late lift, but it wasn't enough to challenge Mumbai.[/p][p]Mumbai medium-pace bowler Shardul Thakur returned figures of 3-39 to be named player of the match, while Jasprit Bumrah finished wicketless but played a role in checking Kolkata's scoring in the middle overs.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/ipl/"]Follow the 2026 IPL season with Flashscore.[/a][/b][/p]