In his first IPL outing in three years, Karun Nair illuminated the Arun Jaitley Stadium with a magnificent 89-run innings off only 40 balls. But his brilliance could not help Delhi Capitals win, as the team imploded spectacularly to go down by 12 runs to Mumbai Indians on Sunday evening.
Pursuing a tough target of 206, Delhi was looking good on course at 135/2 in 11.3 overs. However, the game changed after Mitchell Santner dismissed Nair in the 12th over, and DC collapsed under the pressure, winding up at 193 all out in 19 overs.
Karn and Santner Trigger DC’s Collapse
Karn Sharma, replacing Rohit Sharma as an impact replacement, had a major impact by claiming 3 wickets for 36 runs. He got rid of Abhishek Porel (33 off 25), breaking a 119-run second-wicket stand, and subsequently dismissed Tristan Stubbs (1) and KL Rahul (15).
Mitchell Santner too had a big role to play, getting rid of Nair and subsequently stumping Vipraj Nigam for 14 runs. He came back with figures of 2/42 in his four-over stint.
Final Over Drama and Triple Run-Out
The game came to a boil in the last overs as DC required only 23 runs from 12 deliveries. Ashutosh hit two boundaries off Jasprit Bumrah to set hopes ablaze, but was run out while trying a desperate second run. Kuldeep Yadav and Mohit Sharma were run out too in the same over in rapid succession, ending the Capitals’ pursuit in dramatic fashion.
Tilak Varma’s Fifty Powers MI to 205
Earlier, once requested to bat first, Mumbai Indians piled up a big 205/5. Tilak Varma was the headline-grabber with a 33-ball 59, his season’s second fifty. His knock comprised six fours and three sixes. He contributed crucial partnerships—60 runs with Suryakumar Yadav (40 off 28) and 62 runs with Naman Dhir (38 off 17).
South African wicket-keeper Ryan Rickelton chipped in with a fiery 41 of 25 balls, launching the innings in a 47-run partnership in the opening stand with Rohit Sharma, who scored 18 of 12 before getting out to Vipraj Nigam.
Kuldeep, Nigam Shine with the Ball for DC
Kuldeep Yadav was the standout bowler for Delhi, finishing with 2/23 in four overs, including the wickets of Rickelton and Surya. Vipraj Nigam, who dismissed Rohit, ended with figures of 2/41. Mitchell Starc, however, had a forgettable outing, conceding 43 runs in his three overs without a wicket.
MI Secure Second Win, DC Suffer First Defeat
The 12-run win was Mumbai Indians’ second of the season and put an end to Delhi Capitals’ unbeaten run in IPL 2025. Karun Nair’s stunning comeback notwithstanding, DC’s middle order collapse and late run-outs proved expensive for them at their home venue.
