Bengaluru, January 24: Karun Nair came out in the rather unusual role of an opener but made most of it cracking a hundred leading Karnataka to a massive 123-run win over Jharkhand in the Group A Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Super League match in Kolkata on Wednesday (January 24).
Karnataka made 201 for four in 20 overs riding on Karun's even hundred that came off 52 balls with eight fours and seven sixes.
WATCH highlights of Karnataka opener @karun126 sparkling hundred in @paytm #MushtaqAliT20 #KARvJHA - https://t.co/7819Ka8T6D
— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) January 24, 2018
Karnataka bowlers did not have to sweat much to dismiss the already under pressure Jharkhand line up, eventually for a paltry 78 in 14.2 overs.
The day's hero remained Karun as he bailed out Karnataka from a rather iffy looking 38 for two in 4.5 overs. He had Pavan Deshpande (56, 39b, 6x4, 1x6) for company for the third wicket that produced 130 runs in little over 13 overs.
Deshpande just had to keep his end going with Karun in that sort of mood. Gradually, the Jharkhand bowlers lost hope and sting against Karun and the Karnataka man feasted upon the offerings.
A target of 202 was always going to be tough to surmount and it proved just that. With four Karnataka bowlers - A Mithun, S Arvind, M Prasidh and J Suchith - getting two wickets apiece Jharkhand found the going tough and folded up without much fight.