Mumbai Indians registered a 12-run victory over Delhi Capitals in Sunday’s IPL clash, a match that witnessed high-quality cricket and a tense on-field altercation between Karun Nair and Jasprit Bumrah, sparking widespread discussion among fans and commentators alike.
While chasing a daunting target of 206, Delhi Capitals’ comeback man Karun Nair set the stage ablaze scoring 89 off just 40 deliveries.
Nair, who was making his first appearance of the season, kept DC in the hunt, tearing apart the seasoned Jasprit Bumrah — hitting him for two sixes in a single over — a feat only a few have managed in recent times.
The turning point came not just with his dismissal but also during a controversial incident mid-innings.
While attempting a second run, Karun collided with Bumrah, who appeared furious after the contact.
The DC batter, whose eyes were on the ball, seemed to have bumped into the MI pacer.
Despite Nair’s immediate apology, Bumrah refused to accept the clarification, hinting that he believed the contact may have been deliberate.
Nair later explained his position, and the matter was diffused after a discussion with MI captain Hardik Pandya.
Former MI skipper Rohit Sharma’s reaction in the background during the spat has gone viral on social media.
Rohit Sharma reacted with a cheeky smirk and apparent taunt as he was standing nearby and reacted with his trademark expression of amusement.
The cricketing community on social platforms appeared divided, with many fans and even commentators suggesting Bumrah’s reaction was over the top, fuelled by the rare on-field dominance shown by Nair just moments before.
Following the match, Karun Nair addressed the incident and the game during the post-match press conference.
“It’s a learning for all of us. I’m disappointed that we couldn’t win the match. We lost wickets at regular intervals so it was difficult for us in the end as we needed a set batter to stay till the end. But again, we can learn from this and improve on it. We will prepare well for the next match,” he said.
Nair had a prolific domestic season with Vidarbha, aggregating 1870 runs across formats.
“We lost an important player in Faf (du Plessis). We always knew that there are few of us who are sitting outside and have to be ready at any given time. Mentally, I was ready and obviously looking forward to the chance whenever it came. I am really happy that I got the opportunity. It is about me going out there and capitalizing on that opportunity,” he said.
On facing Bumrah, Nair said, “It was about picking the right balls and playing to the areas that I wanted to play. He is the best bowler at the moment in world cricket. So, I had to be very watchful of where he was going to bowl. But again, I just backed myself and backed the areas that I wanted to score.”