The Delhi Capitals batter’s heroic 89 went in vain as Mumbai Indians pulled off a thrilling 12-run win—here’s what went wrong.
Karun Nair walked off the Arun Jaitley Stadium pitch with his head held high but his heart heavy. His blistering 89 off just 40 balls—a knock studded with 12 fours and 5 sixes—should have been a match-winner. Instead, it became a footnote in yet another IPL thriller, as Delhi Capitals (DC) suffered a jaw-dropping collapse against the Mumbai Indians (MI), losing by 12 runs despite being in cruise control.
“Individual scores mean nothing if the team loses,” Nair said bluntly in the post-match press conference. “I’d trade these runs for a win any day.”
The Collapse That Shocked Delhi
At 119/1 in 10.1 overs, with Nair and Abhishek Porel (47) dominating MI’s bowlers, DC looked certain to chase down 208. Then, chaos struck. Wickets tumbled like dominoes—9 for 73 in the last 9.5 overs—as Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, and Co. flipped the script.
“Losing wickets in clusters killed us,” Nair admitted. “New batters struggled, and MI’s bowlers exploited that. We just couldn’t rebuild momentum.”
Karun’s Redemption Arc Cut Short
This was Nair’s first IPL match since 2022, and he seized his chance after replacing the injured Faf du Plessis. His assault on Bumrah—two fours in the fourth over, then two sixes and a four in the powerplay—was a masterclass in fearless batting.
“I backed myself against the best,” he said. “But not finishing the job? That hurts.”
What’s Next for DC—and Nair?
With calls growing for an India recall after his Vijay Hazare Trophy heroics, Nair shrugged off the noise. “Right now, I’m only thinking about the next IPL game. The rest will take care of itself.”
For DC, the loss snaps a four-match winning streak. For Nair, it’s a bittersweet reminder: in the IPL, brilliance isn’t enough—you need to close the deal.
The Big Takeaway: Cricket’s a cruel game. Even a near-perfect innings can end in agony. But as Nair put it: “We learn. We move on.
