IPL 2026: Rohit Sharma, Ryan Rickelton set records against KKR
What's the story
Mumbai Indians finally ended a 14-year wait for their first Indian Premier League (IPL) season opener win. The five-time champions hammered Kolkata Knight Riders in Match 2 of the 2026 edition at Wankhede Stadium. They chased down a record 221, with Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton going berserk. They slammed blazing half-centuries, helping MI record their highest successful run-chase in IPL history.
Chase
Blistering start leads to comfortable win
MI's chase was off to a patchy start, with only 15 runs coming in the first two overs. Rohit and Ricketlton were unstoppable thereafter. They went after every bowler, taking the hosts to 80/0 in six overs. By then, Rohit completed his 23-ball half-century. MI were 135/0 in 11 overs before losing a well-set Rohit, as the latter fell to Vaibhav Arora.
Milestone
Milestone knock for Rohit
Rohit, whose blazing strokes were on display, slammed a 38-ball 78. He smashed 6 fours and 6 sixes. The former MI skipper notched his 50th score of 50-plus runs in the IPL, becoming the fourth player to do so after Virat Kohli, David Warner, and Shikhar Dhawan. Rohit's 23-ball half-century is his fastest in the IPL (Previous best: 25 balls).
Feats
Rohit attains these feats
During his knock, Rohit also became the highest run-getter versus KKR in IPL. The veteran opener went past David Warner's tally of 1,093 runs in this regard with his 11th run. Rohit now has the most runs against an opponent in the tournament, surpassing Virat Kohli (1,159 vs Punjab Kings). Rohit also became the first Indian to complete 550 T20 sixes.
Rickelton
Rickelton's fourth IPL fifty
On the other hand, Rickelton smashed an 81 off 43 balls (4 fours and 8 sixes) before being run out in the 16th over. The Proteas batter, who made his IPL debut last season, representing MI, had another strong start. He now has 469 runs from 15 matches at a strike rate of 156.33. This was his fourth half-century in the tournament.
Partnership
Record partnership for MI
Rohit and Rickelton added 148 runs off 71 balls, MI's second-highest opening stand in the IPL, according to Cricbuzz. This was only behind the unbeaten 163-run stand between Dwayne Smith and Sachin Tendulkar against Rajasthan Royals in 2012. Overall, this was the third-highest partnership for MI in IPL history. Rohit and Rickelton recorded the highest-ever opening stand for MI against KKR in the IPL.