India, March 29 -- While Mumbai Indians are five-time IPL champions, the decorated franchise has long carried a blemish when it comes to their opening match record in the IPL. With Hardik Pandya and co. set to begin their IPL 2026 campaign on March 29, Sunday, at the Wankhede Stadium against Kolkata Knight Riders, it is worth exploring when MI last won their first game of an Indian Premier League season and why their opening game curse continues to be a major talking point among fans.

When did Mumbai Indians last won their first IPL opener?

The Mumbai-based franchise last won their opening game of an IPL season in 2012 when they beat arch-rivals Chennai Super Kings (CSK). The season saw Mumbai and Chennai open their campaign in an away ...