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Mumbai Indians brought their IPL 2025 campaign on track with a thrilling win over high-flying Delhi Capitals at the Arun Jaitley stadium in Delhi on Sunday, April 13, 2025.
Chasing 206, DC were cruising home at one stage, thanks to a blistering 89 off 40 balls by Karun Nair, but after his departure in the 12th over they lost their way, losing the remaining seven wickets for 58 runs to be all out for 193 in 19 overs.
Apart from Tilak Varma, who smashed a 33-ball 59, leg-spinner Karn Sharma played a pivotal role in MI's 12-run win, snaring three crucial wickets for 36 runs in his four overs.
Introduced into the attack in the 9th over as an Impact Sub in place of Rohit Sharma, he gave away 11 runs in his first over and 15 in his second, but picked up opener Abhishek Porel's wicket.
A tossed-up delivery on off-stump and Porel went for a slog-sweep, but he ended up hitting it with his toe end and the ball flew towards deep square leg where Naman Dhir took a running catch.
The wicket opened the floodgates for MI and they did not let DC batters off the hook thereafter.
Stats
In his third over, the veteran leggie sent back the dangerous Tristan Stubbs cheaply, once against with a tossed up full delivery.
The South African went for a heave but the ball took a top-edge and went straight up and Dhir, who was manning the long on, once again took a safe catch.
In his final over Karn struck again, this time the victim was K L Rahul. He sent in a tossed up full delivery on middle and Rahul, clearing his front-leg to slog sweep, mistimed it completely, getting an edge that went straight back to the bowler.
It was a big blow for DC as Rahul, who hit two back-to-back fifties in the previous matches, was their in-form batter.
There were no demons in the pitch, but 37-year-old Karn varied his pace brilliantly and allowed the balls to slightly grip off the surface and the DC batters fell into his trap, perishing while attempting risky shots.
Karn, who played for Chennai Super Kings for four seasons and Royal Challengers Bengaluru for three seasons, was acquired by MI for Rs 50 lakhs (Rs 5 million) at the IPL auction 2025.
It was his 75th IPL match after having warmed the bench during MI's first five matches of the season. So far, he has picked up 72 IPL wickets with an economy rate of just over 8.
Photographs: BCCI
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