Published: April 17, 2026 | It was 9:47 PM at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The lights were blazing. The crowd was loud. And a 27-year-old left-arm pacer from Guna, Madhya Pradesh quietly jogged in to bowl — and changed Punjab Kings' history forever.
On April 16, 2026, Arshdeep Singh became the first bowler in Punjab Kings' IPL history to claim 100 wickets. The moment arrived when he knocked over Mumbai Indians opener Ryan Rickelton — caught in the slips — in just his second over of the evening. A milestone seven years in the making. A moment that every Punjab Kings fan will remember.
In a sport where batters usually get the headlines, this was a fast bowler's night. And not just any fast bowler — one who stayed loyal to his franchise, grew up in front of its fans, and now stands alone at the top of its all-time bowling charts.
Let's break it all down. Ball by ball. Season by season. Record by record.
MI vs PBKS IPL 2026, Match 24: What Happened on April 16 at Wankhede
Toss and First Innings: Punjab Fields, Mumbai Bats
Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss and chose to field — a decision that gave Arshdeep Singh the first crack at the Mumbai Indians batting line-up under lights.
Notably, Rohit Sharma missed the game with a hamstring injury, which meant Quinton de Kock was brought in as an opener alongside Ryan Rickelton. That change, as we'll see, had a big impact on the match.
Mumbai's innings started brightly enough. They looked composed in the opening overs. But then Arshdeep Singh walked in.
Arshdeep's First Over: One Run, Zero Wickets — Total Control
Arshdeep's first over was a masterclass in restraint. He gave away just one run — a single — while keeping the batters pinned, unable to score freely. No width. No short balls to smash. Just relentless, probing line and length.
The Wankhede crowd watched in silence as Mumbai's top order showed early caution.
The Historic Second Over: Two Wickets in Two Balls
When Arshdeep came back for his second over, everything changed.
On the very first ball, he cleaned up Ryan Rickelton, who had scratched around for 2 runs off 8 deliveries. The delivery moved late, beat the inside edge, and Rickelton could only offer a faint push into the hands of a fielder. The umpire's finger went up. Arshdeep Singh had his 100th IPL wicket. Punjab Kings had their first-ever centurion bowler.
The players rushed to congratulate him. Shreyas Iyer grinned from slip. The dugout erupted.
But Arshdeep wasn't done.
On the very next ball — the second delivery of the over — he removed the dangerous Suryakumar Yadav, one of the most destructive batters in T20 cricket. Yuzvendra Chahal was involved in the catch, and just like that, Mumbai were 12 for 2 in under two overs. Two wickets in two balls. The 100th and 101st wickets came back to back.
At the end of six powerplay overs, Mumbai were sitting at 48 for 2 — a fragile start.
Mumbai's Rescue Act: Quinton de Kock and Naman Dhir Take Over
Mumbai were in trouble. But then Quinton de Kock and Naman Dhir did something remarkable.
The two built a 122-run partnership that completely turned the innings around. De Kock, playing for the first time in this IPL season, batted like a man possessed. He struck seven fours and seven sixes in an unbeaten knock of 112 runs off just 60 balls. His strike rate was 186.67.
Naman Dhir contributed a lively 50 off 31 balls (3 fours, 3 sixes) before departing, but by then the momentum was fully with Mumbai. The crowd, which had gone quiet, was back on its feet.
Mumbai Indians posted 195/6 in 20 overs. A score that, on paper, looked competitive.
Arshdeep's Final Figures: 3 for 22 in 4 Overs
Arshdeep returned later in the innings to dismiss Sherfane Rutherford — his third wicket — finishing with figures of 3/22 in four overs. He was the pick of the Punjab bowlers.
He beat both the bat and the boundary rope all evening. His economy of 5.50 in the powerplay was extraordinary by Wankhede standards, where even the best bowlers bleed runs.
Punjab Kings Chase 196 in 16.3 Overs: A Statement Win
Punjab needed 196 to win. They got there in 16.3 overs, losing only 3 wickets. That tells you everything about how the chase went.
Early Blows: Ghazanfar Strikes Twice
Allah Ghazanfar, MI's Afghanistan spinner, removed both Priyansh Arya and Cooper Connolly early, reducing Punjab to 45 for 2. There was a brief moment of tension. Could MI fight back?
The answer, unfortunately for them, was no.
Shreyas Iyer and Prabhsimran Singh Take Over
What followed was one of the best batting partnerships of IPL 2026.
Shreyas Iyer, the Punjab captain, came in at three and just… played his game. He was elegant, aggressive, and completely in control. He scored 66 runs off just 35 balls — hitting 5 fours and 4 sixes at a strike rate of 188.57. This was his third consecutive half-century of the IPL 2026 season.
Meanwhile, Prabhsimran Singh — a Punjab-born wicketkeeper-batter who has grown into one of the most exciting young players in India — stayed unbeaten on 80 runs off 39 balls. He wasn't dismissed, despite being dropped by Jasprit Bumrah earlier in his innings. That drop proved extremely costly.
Prabhsimran's innings was not just about power. It was about timing, patience, and clinical hitting. As captain Shreyas Iyer noted in the post-match press conference: "Prabhsimran has raised his bar. He's maturing with each game."
Marcus Stoinis Hits the Winning Runs
With just a few needed off the last few balls, Marcus Stoinis smashed a boundary to seal the win. Punjab Kings cruised home with more than 3 overs to spare.
Final Result: Punjab Kings beat Mumbai Indians by 7 wickets. Punjab moved to the top of the IPL 2026 points table — unbeaten in 4 matches. Mumbai dropped to 9th place with just 1 win from 5 games.
Post-Match Reactions: What Arshdeep, Shreyas, and Hardik Said
Arshdeep Singh (Player of the Match)
"Feels good. It goes back to having a chat with Ricky [coach Ricky Ponting]. Told him the ball didn't feel right when it left the hand. Had a good session yesterday and the control returned — the ball was seaming and swinging.
"The chat was nothing technical. I was expecting too many things from myself. He told me: you're coming off a high from the World Cup win and you can't maintain that all the time.
"The wobble ball is what I've worked on, still not there yet, but I'm working on that as a variation. Wide yorkers I've been bowling a lot. The plan is simple — if the batters are set and there's a longer boundary, you go wide. When they're new, you attack the stumps."
Shreyas Iyer (PBKS Captain)
"Confident and optimistic going forward. We've been playing phenomenally. Prabhsimran has raised his bar. He's maturing with each game. My catch was the key to pulling things back [laughs]. We have to be present and enjoy the moment."
Hardik Pandya (MI Captain)
"To be honest, I don't have much to say. We need to go back and see where we're lacking. Credit to PBKS — ball started reversing. Dew came in the second innings but they beat us. They bowled and fielded better. We need to see if we need to make difficult calls or continue and turn things around."
The Arshdeep Singh Story: From ₹20 Lakh to Punjab's Greatest Wicket-Taker
Chapter 1: The Boy from Guna Who Moved to Punjab
Arshdeep Singh was born on February 5, 1999, in Guna, Madhya Pradesh — a small city in central India not particularly known for producing fast bowlers. But his family moved north, and he grew up in the Punjab ecosystem, attending Gyan Jyoti Public School in Kharar and later Chandigarh University.
He started playing cricket seriously at age 13, training under coach Jaswant Rai at GNPS School, Chandigarh. What set him apart? Raw pace, a left-arm angle that confused batters, and a hunger that never seemed to switch off.
Chapter 2: The 2018 U-19 World Cup That Changed Everything
The turning point came in January 2018 when Arshdeep was selected for India's U-19 World Cup squad. India won the tournament — and while his individual contribution (3 wickets in 2 matches at an economy of just 2.0) was modest, his consistent pace of around 140-145 km/h made people sit up and notice.
That same year, he took 8 wickets in a single U-23 match against Rajasthan. By December 2018, Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) signed him at the IPL auction for his base price of just ₹20 lakh.
What a bargain that turned out to be.
Chapter 3: Quiet Beginnings (2019-2020)
Arshdeep's first two IPL seasons were learning years. In 2019, he played just 3 matches and took 3 wickets. In 2020, he played 8 games and claimed 9 wickets. The numbers weren't spectacular, but Punjab kept backing him.
That faith would be rewarded.
Chapter 4: The 2021 Breakout — 18 Wickets in 12 Games
IPL 2021 was the season Arshdeep Singh arrived. He took 18 wickets in 12 matches — the second-highest for Punjab that season. He bowled tight, nailed yorkers at the death, and got left-arm swing with the new ball. His economy rate of 8.27 for a death-over specialist at this level was genuinely impressive.
The highlight? A spell of 5/32 against Rajasthan Royals — his career-best figures in T20 cricket, still standing as of April 2026. That five-wicket haul didn't just win Punjab the game; it announced Arshdeep Singh to the rest of India.
Chapter 5: The 2022 Season and India Call-Up
In IPL 2022, Arshdeep was simply outstanding. His economy rate of 7.70 for a team that regularly defended and attacked at the death was exceptional. The BCCI noticed.
He made his T20I debut for India in July 2022 against England, bowling a maiden over — only the third Indian to do so on T20I debut, after Ajit Agarkar and Jhulan Goswami. Then came his series against West Indies where he picked up 7 wickets in 5 games and was named Player of the Series.
But 2022 also brought heartbreak. During the Asia Cup, Arshdeep dropped a catch against Pakistan — a moment that led to vile abuse on social media, with some even calling him a "traitor." He handled it with maturity that belied his age. India went on to use him in the T20 World Cup in Australia, where he was the leading wicket-taker for Team India — taking 10 wickets in 6 games at an economy of 7.80.
The dropped catch story was rewritten. The 2022 T20 World Cup story belonged to Arshdeep.
Chapter 6: The Consistent Run (2023-2024)
Arshdeep took 17 wickets in IPL 2023 — the most for Punjab that year. He went on to play County Cricket for Kent in England, broadening his skillset.
That same year, he became the first Indian pacer to take an ODI 5-wicket haul against South Africa.
By 2024, he was India's primary T20I bowler. He was part of India's 2024 T20 World Cup winning squad and was joint-highest wicket-taker for the tournament. The boy from Guna was now one of India's most trusted international bowlers.
Chapter 7: The ₹18 Crore Retention and the 2025 Magic
Heading into the IPL 2025 mega auction, Punjab Kings could have let him go. But coach Ricky Ponting made his position crystal clear: Arshdeep was one of three "non-negotiables" alongside Shreyas Iyer and Yuzvendra Chahal.
Punjab used the Right to Match (RTM) card to keep him — paying ₹18 crore, making him the highest-paid pace bowler at that auction.
He justified every rupee.
In IPL 2025, Arshdeep took 21 wickets — his best-ever single-season haul. One of the season's defining moments came when Punjab defended a total of just 111 runs — the lowest total ever defended in IPL history — against Kolkata Knight Riders. With KKR needing 17 off 33 balls and Andre Russell at the crease, Arshdeep bowled a wicket maiden to bring Punjab to the brink of victory. Coach Ponting later called it "just about the best win I've ever had in the IPL."
He also won the 2026 T20 World Cup with India — his second World Cup title.
Chapter 8: April 16, 2026 — The 100th Wicket
And now we arrive at the present. Seven seasons. 87 appearances. 102 wickets at an average of 26.87. Best figures of 5/32. Two four-wicket hauls. One five-wicket haul.
The first bowler in Punjab Kings' history to reach 100 IPL wickets.
The milestone ball — the one that dismissed Rickelton — was a wobble ball that moved in late, found the edge, and flew to the fielder. Not even the most perfectly planned ball, but sometimes history arrives in unexpected shapes.
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Franchise Wicket Records in IPL: How Does Arshdeep Compare?
For context on all-time franchise wicket records across the IPL:
- Sunil Narine (KKR) — 195 wickets in 193 matches — All-time IPL record
- Jasprit Bumrah (MI) — 183 wickets in 150 matches
- Amit Mishra (DC/SRH) — 166 wickets
- Dwayne Bravo (CSK) — 183 wickets
- Arshdeep Singh (PBKS) — 102 wickets
Arshdeep has a long road to catch franchise record-holders like Narine and Bumrah, but the trajectory is extraordinary. He's taken 21 wickets in one season alone (2025), and he's only 27 years old.
Mumbai Indians in Crisis: What's Wrong at Wankhede?
On the other side of the scoreboard, Mumbai Indians are in serious trouble.
After 5 games, they have just 1 win and are 9th on the points table. Four consecutive defeats is not a position any team wants to be in — especially not a franchise with 5 IPL titles.
The biggest concern? Jasprit Bumrah hasn't taken a single wicket in IPL 2026.
Yes, you read that right. India's best fast bowler — arguably the best fast bowler in the world — has figures of 0/35, 0/21, 0/32, and 0/35 in his four IPL 2026 appearances. That's 123 runs conceded for zero wickets.
It's not that Bumrah is bowling badly. The ball just isn't falling in the right places. In T20 cricket, sometimes the best bowlers go through these patches. But for a team as dependent on him as Mumbai, this is a genuine crisis.
Rohit Sharma missing with a hamstring injury doesn't help. Mitchell Santner was also absent for this game.
Captain Hardik Pandya acknowledged the problems plainly after the match: "We need to see if we need to make difficult calls or see if we continue and turn things around."
🚨 HISTORY BY Arshdeep Singh 🚨
— Shailu (@Shailu_15Jul) April 16, 2026
First bowler to reach 100 wickets for Punjab Kings in IPL history! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/9bKmqxtr61
Quinton de Kock's 112*: The One Bright Light for Mumbai
If there was one thing that worked for Mumbai on April 16, it was Quinton de Kock's extraordinary innings.
The South African wicketkeeper-batter, returning for his first IPL 2026 appearance, struck 112 not out off 60 balls — eight fours, seven sixes, a strike rate close to 187. He played in a way that suggested the others around him looked slow by comparison.
His partnership of 122 runs with Naman Dhir (50 off 31 balls) was the foundation on which MI's total of 195/6 was built. Without that partnership, the target would have been perhaps 160 — far more chaseable.
De Kock's innings showed exactly what MI have in him. But one player cannot win matches alone.
Arshdeep Singh's International Career: The Other Chapter
The IPL story is only half of what Arshdeep has achieved. On the international stage, he has been equally, if not more, remarkable.
T20I Records That Stand Apart
- First Indian bowler to take 100 wickets in T20 Internationals — a milestone that no Indian fast bowler had reached before him
- Fastest pacer globally to reach 100 T20I wickets (in terms of both matches and balls bowled)
- Led India's wicket charts at the 2022 T20 World Cup (10 wickets in 6 games)
- Key member of India's 2024 T20 World Cup winning squad — joint-highest wicket-taker
- Part of India's 2026 T20 World Cup winning squad — his second World Cup gold
- Member of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy winning squad
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