India, March 29 -- Mumbai Indians enter IPL 2026 with a contradiction hanging over them. They are the league's most successful franchise, a five-time champion side that has built its identity on pacing tournaments better than anyone else. And yet, when it comes to the first game of the season, MI have carried one of the strangest records in IPL history.

They have lost their last 13 season openers in a row.

That is the number framing Sunday's clash against the Kolkata Knight Riders at the Wankhede. Not the five titles. Not the size of the stage. Not even the fact that this is Mumbai's 300th T20 match as a franchise. The first question of their IPL 2026 campaign is much simpler: can they finally start with a win?

Across 18 IPL season ope...