Udaipur, April 15, 2025: The Mumbai Indians team is back on the winning track after losing two matches in a row in IPL 2025. In the match played at Arun Jaitley Stadium, Mumbai snatched the game from Delhi and won by 12 runs. Delhi’s team batted first and scored 205 runs. In reply, Karun Nair played a brilliant inning for Delhi.

Even though Karun's efforts could not win the match for Delhi, his great comeback won everyone's heart. Playing as an impact player, Karun scored a stormy 89 runs in just 40 balls, hitting 12 fours and 5 sixes. Let’s see what Karun said after his amazing innings.

What Did Karun Nair Say After Returning to IPL After 3 Years?

Karun Nair played his first IPL match in 2025 after a gap of three years, having last played in the 2022 IPL season. In his comeback match, Karun scored a brilliant 89 runs, contributing greatly to Delhi's chase against Mumbai. However, despite his strong performance, Delhi couldn't secure the victory. After the match, Karun spoke about his innings and the team's defeat in the post-match conference.

Karun Nair's Thoughts on His Innings

Karun explained that although he played well, the team’s loss overshadowed his personal achievement. He said:

"We play to win the match, so it is disappointing. No matter how much we score, if the team doesn’t win, it doesn’t mean anything. The team’s victory was more important to me, and it didn’t happen. But this is a lesson, and we will move forward. I hope to continue performing like this, and we will win."

“We Couldn’t Build Partnerships”

The Delhi Capitals team had a strong start, scoring 119 runs for 1 wicket in the first 10.1 overs. But, after that, they lost 9 wickets for just 73 runs. Karun mentioned that the fall of wickets interrupted the flow of the game. He praised Mumbai's bowlers for putting Delhi under pressure.

He added, “It’s easier to play when you're a set batsman, but we lost wickets regularly, which made it difficult towards the end. Mumbai bowled well and created pressure."

Karun also noted that building partnerships is key in T20 cricket. He said, “We didn’t build partnerships, and that’s crucial in T20. But this happens because we all want to score quickly. As I said earlier, it’s a learning experience, and we’ll take this forward into the next game.”

"I Was Mentally Prepared" says Karun Nair

Karun, who had impressed with a brilliant performance in the Vijay Hazare Trophy earlier this year, had been sitting on the bench for the first four matches of IPL 2025. He got his chance in the fifth match, replacing the injured Faf du Plessis.

Karun said, "Obviously, we missed an important player in Faf. We all knew that some of us would be sitting out, and as batsmen, we had to be ready at any moment. Mentally, I was prepared and waiting for my chance. I’m really happy I got the opportunity, and now it's about making the most of it."