Karn Sharma’s Game-Changing Spell Ends Delhi Capitals’ Unbeaten Streak

Mumbai Indians (MI) legspinner Karn Sharma played a pivotal role in ending Delhi Capitals’ (DC) unbeaten run in this IPL season, as MI clinched a thrilling 12-run victory on Sunday. Karn, making his first appearance of the season, turned the game around with a crucial three-wicket haul in the second innings.

Batting first, MI posted a formidable 206-run total. In response, DC appeared to be cruising at 113 for 1 after ten overs, with Karun Nair leading the charge through a blistering 89-run knock. However, the game shifted dramatically when Nair was bowled by Mitchell Santner with a near-unplayable delivery.

"There wasn’t one single turning point," Karn said after the match. "But Karun Nair’s wicket broke their momentum. After that, we got two-three quick wickets, and that changed the game."

Karn, who conceded nine runs in his first over, bounced back strongly. He dismissed Abishek Porel, Tristan Stubbs, and KL Rahul in his next three overs to finish with figures of 3 for 36. His spell proved decisive in halting DC’s charge.

"KL Rahul is a big name, and he finished the game for them in their last match. But all wickets were important today," Karn emphasized.

The match also highlighted the impact of a new IPL rule. As dew set in during DC's chase, MI took advantage of the rule allowing the ball to be changed after the 13th over. The fresh ball, according to Karn, offered better grip and turn.

"When you get the ball replaced, the new ball has an upright seam, so it gives you purchase from the wicket. That helped us," he explained.

Karn was brought in as an Impact Player during DC’s innings, preferred over left-arm seamer Ashwani Kumar. MI’s decision was influenced by how much turn DC’s spinners—Kuldeep Yadav and Vipraj Nigam—extracted from the pitch earlier in the day.

Piyush Chawla, MI’s senior spinner and a commentator on ESPNcricinfo’s TimeOut, praised the move: "They must have made the call after seeing how the pitch was playing. And you have to give credit to Karn—coming into the side after missing five games and delivering in such a high-pressure situation is not easy."

With this win, MI not only handed DC their first loss of the season but also gained crucial momentum heading into the latter half of the tournament.