After a run-a-ball 20, he finished unbeaten on 66 off 31 balls.
Ashutosh Sharma produced a match-winning knock under pressure to guide Delhi Capitals (DC) to a thrilling one-wicket victory over Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 opener in Visakhapatnam.
Coming in with the asking rate climbing and wickets falling regularly, Ashutosh initially struggled to get going. After 20 balls, he had scored just 20 runs. With the required run rate over 12 per over and Delhi needing 62 from the final 30 balls, the match looked to be slipping away. But what followed was an incredible turnaround.
Ashutosh suddenly found his rhythm and smashed 46 runs off his next 11 deliveries, finishing unbeaten on 66 off 31 balls. He hit boundaries at will and timed his attack perfectly. The match ended with him launching a straight six off Shahbaz Ahmed to seal the win with three balls remaining.
This innings came after DC had been reduced to seven for three early in their chase of 210. Debutant Vipraj Nigam provided momentum with a quickfire 39 off 15 balls, but after his dismissal, it was Ashutosh who kept his nerve and saw the team home.
Earlier in the day, LSG had posted 209 for eight, with Nicholas Pooran and Mitchell Marsh scoring heavily. But DC’s bowlers fought back well, and Ashutosh ensured that their effort didn’t go in vain.
His knock may not have looked threatening at the start, but it ended as one of the most memorable finishes in recent IPL history.
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Rishabh Pant: “I thought the total was enough even though we lost momentum in between with the bat. They had two good partnerships with Stubbs and Ashutosh and then one more guy [Vipraj Nigam]. Luck plays a part, but we missed a stumping of Ashutosh [where the lbw DRS showed the ball narrowly missing stumps]. We can’t keep thinking of it, this happens in cricket.”
Faf du Plessis: “Amazing game of cricket. People complain about the new rule [impact player], but this is why the rule is there. When you think it is lost, someone comes and wins it for you. The extra batter really makes a big difference. As an overseas player, it is amazing to watch the Indian guys coming in and hitting such powerful sixes. I was reminded of Makhaya Ntini’s single in the 438 run-chase when Ashutosh was at the non-striker’s end and Mohit Sharma was on strike.”
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