Mumbai, Mar 31 (UNI) Mumbai Indians won the toss and opted to field against Kolkata Knight Riders in their high-octane Indian Premier League (IPL) clash at Wankhede Stadium here on Sunday. The night also marked a special occasion for Mumbai’s new pace sensation Ashwani Kumar, who made his IPL debut, while KKR’s star all-rounder Sunil Narine returned to the playing XI.
Skipper Hardik Pandya was upbeat about his decision to chase, banking on the familiar Wankhede conditions. "We are going to bowl first, looks like a good track. Knowing Wankhede, dew may or may not come in. There might be some early swing, it plays well so we thought chasing is a good option. We want to get into a good rhythm and kickstart. Overall, we want to play better cricket, we need to stay calm. Will Jacks comes back and we have a debutant – Ashwani Kumar," Pandya stated at the toss.
KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane admitted he had also considered bowling first but was content with batting first on what he deemed a "good toss to lose."