International career
Ashwani Kumar was born on 29 August 2001. He plays for Punjab in domestic cricket and for Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Known for his left-handed pace and ability to handle pressure, Ashwani has gained attention from cricket legends.
- March 2025: Ashwani Kumar has not yet made his debut in T20I, Test, or One Day formats.
Leagues Participation
Ashwani Kumar has been playing for Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League since 2025.
Indian Premier League
Ashwani Kumar was signed by Mumbai Indians for 30 lakhs in the 2025 IPL mega auction. He made his debut on 30 March 2025 against Kolkata Knight Riders. In his debut match, Kumar took 4 wickets for 24 runs in 3 overs, including the wickets of Ajinkya Rahane, Rinku Singh, Manish Pandey, and Andre Russell. His performance helped Mumbai Indians bowl out KKR for 116, and he was named Player of the Match.
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Year
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Team
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Notes
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2025–present
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Mumbai Indians
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Signed for 30 lakhs in the 2025 IPL mega auction. Debuted on 30 March 2025, taking 4 wickets for 24 runs in 3 overs, and won Player of the Match.
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Domestic career
Ashwani Kumar plays for Punjab in domestic cricket. He debuted in the 2019–20 Ranji Trophy, taking two wickets in his first match against Rajasthan. His next first-class game was in February 2022, where he took one wicket against Himachal. Ashwani's List-A debut came in the 2021–22 Vijay Hazare Trophy, and his T20 debut followed in 2022. Even though he started in 2019, he has played only 10 domestic games.
In T20 cricket, Ashwani became known for his strong performances in the Sher-e-Punjab T20 league. He helped BLV Blasters win the title in 2023 by taking 10 wickets in eight matches. In 2024, he took 11 wickets in seven games for Agri King's Knights, leading them to the semifinals. His best performance came in the 2024-25 Vijay Hazare Trophy, where he took 3/37 against Arunachal Pradesh, helping Punjab win by 9 wickets.
Records and achievements
Ashwani Kumar has set several records and achieved great success in different cricket tournaments.
- 2024-25 Vijay Hazare Trophy: Took 3 wickets for 37 runs against Arunachal Pradesh.
- 2025 IPL Debut: Took 4 wickets for 24 runs in 3 overs against Kolkata Knight Riders, the best debut performance by an Indian player and the fourth best in IPL history.
- IPL Milestone: Became the 15th player to take a wicket with the first ball in the IPL.
- Player of the Match (IPL debut): On 30 March 2025, won the Player of the Match award for his 4/24 performance against Kolkata Knight Riders.
- Sher-E-Punjab T20 Cup 2024: Helped BLV Blasters win the title by taking 11 wickets in 6 matches, with an average of 21.27.
Personal life
Ashwani Kumar comes from a supportive family. He lives in Jhanjeri, a village in the Mohali district of Punjab. His father, Harkesh Kumar Rana, mother, Mina, and older brother, Shiv Rana, always support his cricket career and celebrate his successes, from local matches to the IPL.
Finance
In 2024, Ashwani Kumar earned a total of 50 lakhs (about 60 thousand dollars). Out of this, 35 lakhs came from domestic cricket, and 15 lakhs came from deals with local brands like Gopal Dairy and Rohtak Sports.
Family
Ashwani's family stands by him in his career. His parents and older brother are proud of his cricket journey. They have always supported his decisions and helped him reach his goals.
Scandals
In 2024, Ashwani Kumar turned down a job that could have secured his financial future but would have required him to move away from Punjab. Mandeep Singh, a former Punjab team player, shared that Ashwani chose his cricket career instead of taking the job.
Fans
Ashwani is active on social media, especially after his IPL debut. He has around 700 followers on Instagram. Fans follow his journey and support his success.
