Karun Nair was determined on Monday as the 33-year-old delivered an impressive performance against the Mumbai Indians, yet it was insufficient to prevent the Delhi Capitals from suffering a peculiar late collapse, resulting in a 12-run defeat. In pursuit of 206 runs, Nair was required to step in early after opener Jake Fraser-McGurk was dismissed for a golden duck on the very first ball of the match. This year, Nair has been in the limelight due to his outstanding domestic performances, making his return to the IPL in 2025 after last participating in the league in 2022.

Nair's role was to fill the gap left by the injured Faf du Plessis, and he accomplished this with remarkable ease. He began his innings aggressively, taking control against the MI bowlers, even as his partner Abishek Porel took a more cautious approach. In Jasprit Bumrah’s opening over, Nair struck two fours, accumulating 11 runs. Later, during the final over of the Powerplay, Nair faced Bumrah again, demonstrating his skill by hitting an 83-meter six over deep backward square. When Jasprit Bumrah missed a yorker, Nair capitalized by slicing a four. The highlight came when he executed an inside-out shot against Bumrah, all while wearing a confident smirk.

Bumrah conceded 29 runs in his first two overs, with Nair scoring 26 runs off just nine balls against him. Following Nair's rapid 22-ball fifty, a strategic time-out was called, during which Bumrah had a brief exchange with Nair after he reached his half-century.

Karun Nair on facing Jasprit Bumrah

After the match, Nair reflected on his experience against Bumrah, stating, “I was certainly confident. I was in a good rhythm and didn’t want to disrupt that momentum.”

He continued, “It was crucial to select the right deliveries and target the areas I aimed for. As the top bowler in world cricket, I had to remain vigilant about his bowling patterns. I simply trusted my abilities.”

Nair ultimately fell to Santner, who delivered an exceptional ball that led to his dismissal in the 12th over. Nair scored 89 runs off 40 balls, featuring 12 fours and five sixes, narrowly missing a century while DC stood at 135/3 in 11.4 overs. It appeared he had set the stage for his teammates to secure a victory.

However, MI had different intentions, and their comeback commenced with Nair's exit. Key players such as KL Rahul (15), Axar Patel (9), and Tristan Stubbs (1) were quickly dismissed, and Bumrah's brilliance in the 19th over resulted in three run-outs in the last three deliveries, leading to DC's collapse at 193.

Read Also: Hardik, Not Rohit: Manjrekar Sets the Record Straight on Karn Sharma Move

Get the latest Bollywood entertainment news, trending celebrity news, latest celebrity news, new movie reviews, latest entertainment news, latest Bollywood news, and Bollywood celebrity fashion & style updates!