IPL 2026: MI Pacer Ashwani Kumar's 4/24 Spell Vs GT Draws Massive Praise Online

Mumbai Indians (MI) left-arm pacer Ashwani Kumar delivered a match-winning spell in the IPL 2026 clash against the Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Monday, April 20. The five-time IPL champions ended a four-match losing streak with a dominant 99-run win over the 2022 winner.

After posting a solid total of 199/5 in 20 overs on the boards, thanks to Tilak Varma's unbeaten 45-ball 101, the Mumbai Indians bundled out the Gujarat Titans for just 100 in 15.5 overs. Washington Sundar (26), Shahrukh Khan (17), Shubman Gill (14), and Kagiso Rabada (12) registered double-digit scores, as other batters failed to make any significant impact.

Ashwani Kumar led the MI bowling attack with figures of 4/24 at an economy rate of 6.00 in his spell of four overs. Mitchell Starc (2/16) and AM Ghazanfar (2/17) picked two wickets each, while Jasprit Bumrah (1/15) and Jasprit Bumrah (1/18) also chipped in with crucial breakthroughs, ensuring Gujarat never recovered from the early blows and were eventually bowled out well short of the target.

Also Read: IPL 2026: Hardik Pandya lauds Tilak Varma's 'much needed' century

Ashwani Kumar Shines On His Maiden IPL 2026 Outing

Jasprit Bumrah might've ended his five-match wicketless streak by taking a wicket of Sai Sudharsan on the first ball of the opening over, but Ashwani Kumar quickly took over the spotlight, striking at key moments with sharp movement and disciplined lines to dismantle the Gujarat Titans' top and middle order.

Bringing into the attack in the fifth over, Ashwani struck his maiden wicket of the season by dismissing GT skipper Shubman Gill on the penultimate delivery of the over, triggering a collapse in the visitors' batting line-up. Thereafter, the left-arm pacer returned to bowling in the 11th over and removed Rahul Tewatia (8) after conceding a wide on the final delivery.

Young gun, big impact. Gen next star Ashwani Kumar bags a 4-fer as MI dominate Gujarat Titans. #TATAIPL 2026 | #GTvMI | LIVE NOW twitter/SzyDHT6gss

- Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) April 20, 2026

In the 13th over of the Gujarat Titans' run chase, Ashwani Kumar further tightened MI's grip on the game by dismissing Rashid Khan (4) and Shahrukh Khan, leaving the Gujarat Titans reeling at 86/8 in 13 overs and needing 114 runs from just 42 balls, effectively ending any hopes of a comeback.

Major Impact! Gen-next star #AshwaniKumar ripped through the #GujaratTitans with a 4-wicket haul to power #MI to their second win of the season. [ #TATAIPL | #TilakVarma, #MumbaiIndians, #NamanDhir, #GujaratTitans, #GTvsMI, #MIvsGT ] twitter/ug3RCGkvfJ

- Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) April 20, 2026

With a four-wicket haul in his first outing of the IPL 2026, Ashwani Kumar's bowling spell drew attention for its striking similarity to his IPL 2025 debut, where he had also made an immediate impact with a match-turning 4-wicket haul, once again delivering in his very first game of the season for the Mumbai Indians.

'GT made Ashwani Kumar Look Like Prime Mitchell Starc'

Ashwani Kumar's impressive bowling in his maiden IPL 2026 outing, especially when the Mumbai Indians were looking to make a strong comeback after a four-match losing streak, drew massive praise and applause on social media, especially X (formerly Twitter), with fans and cricket enthusiasts noting that he once again made an instant impact, echoing his similar breakout debut and quickly becoming a talking point for MI's pace attack.

Taking to their X handles, fans and cricket enthusiasts lauded Ashwani's immediate impact, with several calling him MI's biggest bowling upgrade, praising his consistency in delivering match-turning spells right from his first game of the season and highlighting his rapid rise as a key pace weapon.

Biggest difference for our bowling unit as I had always mentioned was Ashwani Kumar And he did as expected of himLooking forward to what this season holds for us @MIPaltanFamily

- Akhilesh Shetty (@akhilesh200205) April 20, 2026

Ashwani Kumar has always been waiting for an opportunity. Have watched him train in a separate net with bowling coach Lasith Malinga frequently. Just like in 2025, he emerges as the showstopper in his maiden outing of an IPL season

- Amol Karhadkar (@karhacter) April 20, 2026

GT made Ashwani Kumar look like Prime Mitchell Starc

- SJ (@nopreamble) April 20, 2026

Ashwani Kumar - remember the nameMumbai Indians' call to bring him in paid off in style as he delivered a match-winning spell 4/24 in 4 overs - pure dominanceA performance that sealed a complete win and marked MI's return to winning ways in emphatic fashion #IPL2026 twitter/nFmWziVo2O

- Cricket Addiction (@CricketAdd1ct) April 20, 2026

Hardik Pandya kept wasting time & matches on Deepak Chahar & Shardul Thakur while Ashwani Kumar kept waiting for one opportunity. Gets the nod today & delivers straight away with a spell of 4-0-24-4 which helped Mumbai Indians defend the total. Vipul (@Vipul_Espeaks) April 20, 2026

PRECISION, POWER, AND PURPOSEAshwani Kumar is actually a cheat code. That spell today was absolute filth! 4 wickets and completely shut down the chase #GTvsMI #MIvsGT twitter/O8aA35hJ5P

- RAGNAR45 (@RAGNAR_RS45) April 20, 2026

Nothing beats the joy of watching India's young fast bowlers impress! IPL is where we unearth the best players spell, Ashwani Kumar 4/24 Future looks bright. #MIvsGT #MumbaiIndians #GTvsMI #AshwaniKumar twitter/14gFBjcgyN

- Vilas Patil (@vilas_jaihind) April 20, 2026

Our Golden Boy Jhanjeri Express Ashwani Kumar twitter/cfWJIQmOps

- Mumbai Indians FC (@MIPaltanFamily) April 20, 2026

MI would be a real dangerous team now. Great to see Mohali da munda Ashwani Kumar take 4 wickets #GTvsMI

- (@iSunilTaneja) April 20, 2026

Ashwani Kumar 4 overs 4 wickets for just 24 runs. Grabbed the opportunity with both hands. Well bowled young man.

- Naveen Peiris (@_Naviya_) April 20, 2026

why didn't Ashwani Kumar played before? was he injured? he got 4 wickets today. one sided game.

- Daljit003 (@Daljit0031) April 20, 2026

Based on my 92 years of cricket watching experience and as someone who has watched Bradman and Len Hutton play cricket live, I can confirm that Ashwani Kumar is the greatest left handed seam fast bowler to play in the history of cricket

- Sriram R. (@mosquitobatman) April 20, 2026

Ashwani Kumar had a breakthrough debut IPL season last year, picking 11 wickets, including a four-wicket haul, at an average of 21.09 and an economy rate of 11.31 in seven matches. In his first match of the IPL 2026, the 24-year-old continued the habit of making an immediate impact, repeating his IPL 2025 debut pattern of striking big in his very first outing of the season for the Mumbai Indians.

Ashwani Kumar, who plays for Punjab in domestic cricket, was bought by the Mumbai Indians for INR 30 lakhs as an uncapped Indian player at the IPL 2026 Mega Auction, a bargain buy that is already paying off with back-to-back season-opening impact performances.

Also Read: IPL 2026: Conceded too many runs in middle overs, says Shubman Gill

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