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Karun Nair's wife Sanaya Tankariwala Nair shares emotional throwback after his breathtaking IPL comeback
Karun Nair made a stunning IPL return with 89 off 40, while wife Sanaya Tankariwala Nair shared heartfelt throwback photos celebrating his comeback.
Karun Nair made a dream return to the Indian Premier League (IPL) on April 13, smashing 89 off just 40 deliveries for Delhi Capitals against Mumbai Indians. Entering the field as an impact substitute following the early dismissal of Jake Fraser-McGurk, the 33-year-old Nair tore into a formidable MI bowling attack, reaching his half-century in only 22 balls—his fastest in IPL history.
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This explosive innings marked Nair’s first IPL fifty in seven years, his previous one coming in 2018 while playing for Kings XI Punjab. His knock also became his highest score in the tournament, surpassing the 83 he scored against Sunrisers Hyderabad back in 2016.
A touch of nostalgia
As emotions ran high on the field, they spilled into the digital world as well. Nair’s wife, Sanaya Tankariwala Nair, took to Instagram to share the heartwarming journey of her husband's IPL career. She posted a throwback photo from 2017, when Nair played for Delhi Daredevils, showing the couple smiling together. Alongside it, she shared a current-day picture from 2025, featuring the couple with their two children, all proudly donning the Delhi Capitals jersey. The couple got married in 2020 in Udaipur, Rajasthan and the family is now based in Bengaluru.
Impressive numbers, long-awaited redemption
Nair’s return to form is not entirely unexpected. He has been in prolific touch recently, particularly during the Vijay Hazare Trophy, where he represented Vidarbha. In that tournament, he amassed an astonishing 779 runs in nine matches, including five centuries and a fifty, averaging a jaw-dropping 389.50. That purple patch seems to have followed him into the IPL.
This was also his first IPL appearance since the 2022 season. Against MI, Nair was particularly aggressive against Jasprit Bumrah, striking 16 runs in boundaries in one of the speedster’s overs.
