Karun Nair delivered a sensational 89-run knock on his IPL return, leaving Hardik Pandya and Mumbai Indians searching for answers in Delhi.
Karun Nair made a memorable comeback to the Indian Premier League with a breathtaking 89 off just 40 deliveries against Mumbai Indians at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on April 13. The 32-year-old Vidarbha batter, who returned to the IPL after three years, stunned the crowd and opposition alike with a fearless innings laced with 12 fours and five sixes.
Though his effort came in a losing cause, Nair’s innings stood out as one of the best of the season so far. Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya acknowledged the brilliance of Nair’s knock and admitted that his team struggled to find answers during the onslaught.
“Winning is always special. Especially in games like this. You have to keep fighting, and it means a lot. We were getting out of options of what to bowl at him. The way he took on our bowlers, took his chances, and the way he executed,” Pandya said at the post-match presentation.
Nair’s previous IPL appearance came in 2022 for Rajasthan Royals, and he walked into this edition with strong performances in domestic cricket. His fearless approach caught MI off guard and proved how dangerous he can be when in rhythm.
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Pandya also spoke about how his team held their nerves in the final overs despite the game slipping away at one stage. He praised Karn Sharma, the Player of the Match, for bowling with courage in testing conditions.
“Shows great character, to be brave and toss it up when the boundaries are just 60m long. We never gave up, we kept saying we want to stay in the contest. Everyone put their hand up and we were able to hold on to our chance,” he added.
Talking about the team strategy and handling pressure in dew-soaked conditions, the MI skipper said,
“Wanted to get the players in form to face the most balls. Dew played a big factor later on, it got very dewy. Just by making sure the game is not over, ‘keep fighting’ was the chatter. We knew a couple of wickets would change the game. It has happened with me before as well, wins like this change the momentum and turn everything around.”
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