Runs have rained relentlessly from Karun Nair’s bat in domestic cricket for the past few months. For Delhi Capitals in the IPL at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Sunday, Nair’s purple patch was on further evidence.

That the 33-year-old was playing his first IPL game in three years didn’t matter as he produced a scintillating 40-ball 89 against Mumbai Indians in a run chase of 206. Agonisingly for Nair, however, DC imploded after his exit, losing its last seven wickets for 58 runs in 44 balls to suffer a 12-run defeat.

Nair, who was cooling his heels for the first four games of DC’s campaign, had the host in the driving seat till the time he was in the middle. After 11 overs, DC was 128 for two, requiring another 78 runs from 54 balls. It took something special for Nair to be dislodged. Mitchell Santner was the man to prise out the key scalp in the 12th over, getting one to pitch on middle stump and turn just enough to take off-pole. The game turned on its head from thereon.

| DC VS MI IPL SCORECARD

Nair’s assault against Jasprit Bumrah inside the first six overs had been breathtaking. The spearhead is seldom meted out rough treatment, but his first two overs on Sunday went for 29 runs as Nair played shots of the highest quality. That he had ample time at hand was evident when he backed away and played an inside-out drive over cover for four. When the length was a tad shorter, he carved the ball through point for the same result.

In Bumrah’s next over, Nair unfurled more magic. Off a length ball angled at his body, Nair’s strong wrists came into play to send the ball soaring over the square-leg boundary for six. Four balls later, Nair lofted over covers for another maximum. By this stage, Nair’s regal beginning against Trent Boult – he caressed three fours in the left-armer’s opening over – was a mere footnote.

On a surface that didn’t take long to reveal its batting-friendly character, Tilak Varma had led the way for MI with the bat earlier in the evening with a 32-ball 59.