IPL 2026: Shardul Thakur shines on Mumbai Indians debut
What's the story
Kolkata Knight Riders racked up 220/4 (20 overs) in Match 2 of the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) season against Mumbai Indians at Wankhede Stadium. While the KKR batting order made the most of the spicy Mumbai deck, Shardul Thakur shone with his golden arm. Making his MI debut, the medium-pacer took three of those wickets, having broken the dangerous opening stand.
Spell
Thakur breaks crucial partnerships
KKR openers Ajinkya Rahane and Finn Allen came out all guns blazing, smashing 68 runs in five overs. Being introduced in the Powerplay's final over, Thakur dismissed Allen on his second ball. In his next over, the MI pacer removed the dangerous Cameron Green. Thakur's final scalp was Rahane, who smashed a whirlwind half-century. The MI pacer finished with figures of 4-0-39-3.
Career
A look at his numbers
As mentioned, Thakur played his first IPL match in MI colors. He hasn't played successive seasons for a franchise since 2021. Ahead of the IPL 2026 auction, Thakur was traded in by MI from Lucknow Super Giants for ₹2 crore. The Indian pacer has now raced to 110 wickets from 106 IPL games at an average of 29.84. His tally includes 2 four-wicket hauls.