Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya hugs Shardul Thakur during their match against Kolkata Knight Riders. (Pic credit: IPL)

NEW DELHI: Mumbai Indians’ long wait for a winning start to an IPL season finally ended at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday, and skipper Hardik Pandya’s heartfelt message to pace bowling all-rounder Shardul Thakur stole the spotlight after a commanding six-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Thakur, who returned impressive figures of 3/39 in a high-scoring contest, played a decisive role in restricting Kolkata to 220/4. His performance earned him the Player-of-the-Match award, but it was Pandya’s candid remark on his future that added a compelling layer to the evening.“I told him this season, I said, ‘enough hopping of the franchises. I want you to be here for the rest of your career,’” Pandya said after the match. “He’s a character. He has a big heart. The way he comes out and kind of always tries to outsmart a batter, simply brilliant and really happy for him.”Having represented seven franchises across his IPL journey, Thakur’s nomadic career could now find stability at Mumbai if his captain has his way. The 34-year-old has featured in 106 matches, picking up 110 wickets while contributing valuable lower-order runs at a brisk strike rate.MI end 13-year opening-match jinxPandya also reflected on the significance of the result itself, as Mumbai Indians snapped a 13-year streak of losing their opening match. “It’s been a long wait — 13 years is a long time. Very glad, the whole team is very glad that we were finally able to do it,” he said.The chase was anchored by a blistering opening stand between Rohit Sharma (78 off 38) and Ryan Rickelton (81 off 43), who added 148 runs to put Mumbai firmly in control of the 221-run chase. Despite a brief slowdown in the middle overs, Pandya (18 not out) and Tilak Varma ensured the hosts crossed the line with five balls to spare.Earlier, Kolkata were powered by half-centuries from Ajinkya Rahane (67) and Angkrish Raghuvanshi (51), with Finn Allen providing early impetus. However, Thakur’s timely breakthroughs prevented the visitors from pushing beyond reach.