Former Rajasthan Royals batter Karun Nair went berserk in the Maharaj T20 Trophy 2024 clash. Mysuru Warriors captain Nair smashed nine sixes and 13 fours in his unbeaten 124 against Mangalore Dragons in the high-scoring clash. Months ahead of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction, Nair showcased power-hitting and unorthodox shots as he scored 124 runs off just 48 balls.
After winning the toss, Dragons' skipper Shreyas Gopal opted to bowl first. Nair walked in to bat in the third over. He hit his first six in the fifth over. He accelerated in the middle overs and reached his half-century from 26 balls with a six. He went berserk in the slog overs. In the penultimate over, he hit three sixes to reach his century from 43 balls. In the final over, he targetted Samarth Nagaraj and hit him for two sixes and three fours. The Warriors’ skipper helped his side post a mammoth total of 226/4. In the slog overs, Manoj Bhandage contributed with a 14-ball 31 cameo.
Warriors won the rain-affected game by 27 runs (VJD method). Dragons managed to post 138/7 from 14 overs with the help of Krishnamurthy Siddharth's 27-ball 50.
After two low scores, Nair has been in good form. In the previous clash against Gulbarga Mystics, he scored 66 runs in a losing cause.
Nair’s absence from IPL
Despite having a base price of Rs 50 lakh, Nair was not on any franchise’s radar. He has had an inconsistent run in the IPL. He could not make the limited opportunities at Rajasthan Royals (RR) count. His last IPL appearance was in the 2022 season. He got a chance to play against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Batting at no.4, he contributed with a run-a-ball 13.
Nair’s IPL career
So far, Nair has represented Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals), Kings Xi Punjab (now Punjab Kings), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). He made his IPL debut for RCB in 2013 against Mumbai Indians (MI). In IPL 2017, he led DC in three matches and won two.
He has played 76 IPL matches. From 68 innings, he has scored 1,171 runs at an average of 23.75 including 10 fifties. His strike rate is 127.75.
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