Mumbai Indians (MI) pulled off a dramatic 12-run win over Delhi Capitals (DC) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, snapping DC’s unbeaten run in IPL 2025. Karun Nair’s scintillating 40-ball 89 nearly pulled off a record chase, but MI’s bowlers, led by Karn Sharma, scripted a turnaround that ended with a chaotic hat-trick of run-outs in the penultimate over.
This was MI’s second win in six matches, reigniting a campaign that had started to drift. For Delhi, the heartbreak ended a four-match winning streak and left the league table wide open.
Nair’s Comeback Knock
Seven years after his last IPL half-century, and three years since he featured in the tournament, Karun Nair roared back with a knock of class and control. Coming in after Jake Fraser-McGurk’s first-ball duck, Nair attacked the MI bowlers from the outset, particularly targeting Jasprit Bumrah. He took 28 runs off just nine balls from Bumrah, showcasing his range with whips, sweeps, and inside-out lofts.
Nair reached his 50 off just 22 balls and looked set for a century until Mitchell Santner produced a peach of a delivery that turned sharply to hit the top of off stump. Axar Patel’s dismissal soon after gave MI a glimmer of hope as DC stood at 145 for 4 in the 13th over.
The Ball Change & Collapse
A new IPL rule allows teams to opt for a fresh ball after 11 overs in the second innings to counter dew. MI exercised this option at the start of the 14th, and it turned the tide. Within three balls, Tristan Stubbs was dismissed, and two overs later, KL Rahul was out to a soft return catch.
Even with 42 needed off 24 balls, DC had Ashutosh Sharma and Vipraj Nigam at the crease—both known for lower-order fireworks. However, Trent Boult’s tight 17th over that conceded just three runs crushed the momentum. Santner then struck again, deceiving Nigam in the flight to have him stumped.
Hat-trick of Run-Outs Seals the Deal
Jasprit Bumrah returned for the 19th over with figures of 3-0-34-1. Ashutosh Sharma managed two boundaries early in the over but was run out attempting a second run that required him to arc around Bumrah, costing him precious milliseconds. That was followed by two more run-outs—Kuldeep Yadav and Mohit Sharma—off successive balls, ending DC’s innings at 193 and sealing MI’s win in dramatic fashion.
Tilak and Dhir Power MI’s Total
Earlier, Tilak Varma, who was benched two games ago, made a statement with a composed 59 off 43 balls. It was his eighth IPL half-century, and notably, the first that contributed to a win. His knock laid the foundation for a strong finish. Naman Dhir, coming in as a floater, blasted 38 off 17 balls, and their 60-run partnership off 33 balls revived MI after the quick exits of Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya.
DC’s spin duo—Kuldeep Yadav and Vipraj Nigam—bowled skillfully in the middle overs to slow MI’s charge. Together, they took 4 wickets for 64 in their eight overs. But the late assault by Tilak and Dhir ensured MI posted a competitive 205, which proved just enough.
Also Read : Spin Mayhem at Chepauk: Narine, Varun, and Rana Wreck CSK as Chennai Collapse to 103
