NEW DELHI: Karun Nair introduced his IPL comeback in spectacular fashion with a blistering 22-ball half-century, his first in seven years, powering Delhi Capitals to a flying begin towards Mumbai Indians on the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Sunday.
The spotlight of his knock was a surprising assault on Jasprit Bumrah within the ultimate over of the powerplay that introduced the gang to its toes and left even MI skipper Hardik Pandya applauding.
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Chasing 206, DC had been jolted early as Jake Fraser-McGurk was dismissed off the primary ball by Deepak Chahar. However Nair, taking part in his first IPL match since 2022, joined Abishek Porel and turned the tide with fearless intent. The pair raced to a fifty-run partnership inside 5 overs, with Nair taking cost.
50-plus runs in overs 1-6 of an IPL match for DC
78 (24) – Jake Fraser McGurk vs MI, 2024
50 (20) – Jake Fraser McGurk vs RR, 2024
50 (22) – Karun Nair vs MI, 2025*
Nair was on 32 when Bumrah returned for his second over within the sixth. He smashed the primary ball for a six over backward sq. leg, adopted it with a boundary, after which hammered one other six over long-off. A pair off the ultimate ball of the over introduced up his milestone — a 22-ball fifty — turning into solely the second DC batter after Fraser-McGurk to achieve a half-century contained in the powerplay.
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Earlier, Tilak Varma’s 59 off 33, dominated by his signature mid-wicket strokes, helped MI publish 205/5. Naman Dhir supported properly with 38 not out. Regardless of Varma’s heroics, it was Nair’s comeback fireworks that stole the present, placing Delhi firmly within the hunt.
Most runs scored off Bumrah in an over in IPL
26 – Pat Cummins (KKR), 2022
20 – DJ Bravo (CSK), 2018
18 – Karun Nair (DC), 2025*
17 – Faf du Plessis (CSK), 2021