Mumbai Indians (MI) are the five-time champions of the Indian Premier League (IPL) and Rohit Sharma’s appointment as the skipper has changed their fortunes big time. Although they failed to make it through to the playoffs last time, MI remain a brute force and no team drops their guard while playing against them. But there’s one record the Mumbai-based team may not be proud of.
The team isn’t a great starter when it comes to the history of the IPL. Since 2013, they have lost their opening match of a tournament 10 out of 10 times. It shows that MI takes their own time before settling in and finding their winning combination. Their story didn’t change even in the 2022 edition of the IPL. On Sunday, March 27, Delhi Capitals (DC) defeated them by four wickets.
Mumbai Indians in their 1st match of the IPL
2013 – Lost
2014 – Lost
2015 – Lost
2016 – Lost
2017 – Lost
2018 – Lost
2019 – Lost
2020 – Lost
2021 – Lost
2022 – LOST— Merin Kumar ™ (@merin_kumar) March 27, 2022
Mumbai Indians makes a disastrous start yet again in the IPL
After being put into bat first at the Brabourne Stadium, MI racked up a massive score of 177 for five in 20 overs. Skipper Sharma and Ishan Kishan laid the platform after putting on 67 runs for the first wicket off 50 balls. Kuldeep Yadav made the first breakthrough for the Capitals after he got rid of the 34-year-old Sharma, who hit four fours and two sixes on his way to a 32-ball 41.
But Kishan carried his bat and stayed unbeaten on 81 off 48. His knock, laced with 11 fours and two sixes, gave the finishing kick to MI’s innings. Tilak Varma and Tim David played handy cameos to propel MI’s score. Kuldeep was the pick of the bowlers for DC as he picked up three wickets and bowled at an economy rate of 4.50.
The Capitals got off to a flying start after Tim Seifert and Prithvi Shaw played their strokes freely. Shaw, one of the retained players, scored 38 off 24 with four fours and two sixes. But after they perished, MI started making a comeback into the game.
With 28 runs needed off three overs, the game was in the balance. But Daniel Sams gave away 24 runs in the 18th over to make the match a one-sided affair in DC’s favour. Lalit Yadav also remained not out on 48. The Capitals won with 10 balls to spare and MI’s dismal record in their first game of an IPL season continued.
