Close shave for Karun Nair as boat capsizes in Pampa

Indian top-order batsman Karun Nair, who was part of the Indian squad in the recently concluded Zimbabwe tour, had a narrow escape after a boat that he was travelling capsized in river Pampa, Kerala on Sunday. Two persons were still missing in which around 100 persons were travelling. Rajeev, 32-year-old, and Vishakh Radhakrishnan, 25-year-old, both from Chengannur, were identified as missing persons.

Nair was then carried safely to the river bank in a separate boat. According to reports, Nair was heading towards the Sree Parthasarathy Temple in the snake boat called Keezhcherimel Palliyodam for taking part in a feast called Valla Sadya.

According to N.K. Sukumaran Nair, Pampa Parirakshana Samithi general secretary, “The accident occurred around 12 noon on Sunday when the boat was taking a turn, nearly 100 metres upstream of the temple ghats. The crew was thrown into the midstream.” The oarsmen of another snake boat rescued some people, who were found trapped in the heavy river current, with the help of long ropes while many others swam to safety.

Speaking to Bangalore Mirror, Karun’s father, Kaladharan Nair, told that his son is safe and would return Bengaluru on Monday, “The boat capsized and Karun fortunately is all right. He will return to Bengaluru tomorrow. I was not with him in Kerala so I myself do not know how it all happened.”

Karun Nair made his debut for the national team, team India against Zimbabwe at Harare in June 2016 where he managed to score 39 & 7 runs in the two ODIs he has played. However, Nair has a decent First-Class record where he amassed 2481 runs in 32 games at an average of 52.78 with 7 centuries and 10 half-centuries. The 24-year-old Nair, who represents Karnataka in Ranji trophy has managed to score 500 runs in the last season in the 7 innings at an average of 50 with 2 tons and 2 fifties.