Ashutosh Sharma’s knock will be remembered for a long: Sunil Gavaskar

 

Delhi Capitals kicked off their IPL 2025 campaign in an electrifying fashion, taking a one-wicket victory in what had been a Seesaw struggle over Lucknow Super Giants at Vizag on Tuesday. The star of the night was Ashutosh Sharma. Ashutosh Sharma’s knock of 66 off 31 balls won the contest for DC, leaving fans awestruck in wonder at what the game was capable of. Once again, His late blitz turned the game on its head, proving yet again why the IPL is so well known for making memorable moments in cricket.

A match-winning knock under pressure

Once Ashutosh Sharma entered the field, DC was rattled at 65/5. They were chasing the mammoth target of 210. He could not get the ball to time initially; he scored just 20 runs by the time he took 20 deliveries. Then came a carnage of a completely different nature: in the last three overs of the chase, Ashutosh turned it all around. He made 46 runs off just 11 balls. The back-bone- cracking blows from his willow turned the once dismal sight into sensational victory against a losing cause.

The beginning of his rampage at the 18th over: Ravi Bishnoi has taken hits from him in the form of a six and a four. The 19th over threatened to continue that murder spree, leaving the equation needing six runs from the last over. Nerves of steel. Straight over the ground for a winning six, bringing home an unforgettable victory for DC.

Tribute to Mentor Shikhar Dhawan 

After his heroic performance, Ashutosh also dedicated his ‘Player of the Match’ to his mentor and former India captain, Shikhar Dhawan. In the post-match presentation, he said, 

“I just want to dedicate this Man of the Match award to my mentor, Shikhar paaji. He has always believed in me and guided me throughout my journey.”

Even Shikhar Dhawan also got impressed with Ashutosh Sharma’s knock against LSG. Just before the DC dressing room became one with celebration, Ashutosh would be seen on a video call with Dhawan receiving a belated congratulation for a stunning performance. The two had been together from the last season before retirement from competitive cricket for Dhawan with the Punjab Kings (PBKS). 

Hail Sunil Gavaskar 

An exalted praise from Indian cricket great Sunil Gavaskar followed DC’s narrow win: according to Gavaskar, Ashutosh Sharma’s knock was among the most sober and fearless finishes the IPL has ever seen. Speaking on the show ‘Match Center Live’ at JioHotstar, Gavaskar dissected the last over and celebrated Ashutosh’s self-belief: 

“He had some terrific innings last season for PBKS, and obviously it has been a boost for him. People begin to build self-belief when they have done it once before, and they enter the next season with greater self-belief. His sixes were not just clearing the boundary but they were landing over it. This knock will be remembered for a long, long time.” 

Gavaskar also introduced a new term to describe Ashutosh’s innings calling it BOLD IPL finish: Breathtaking, Outstanding, Lightning, and Devastating. 

The Match: A Rollercoaster Ride 

LSG’s Power-Packed Batting Performance 

Having been invited to bowl first after winning the toss, DC hoped to make their early breakthroughs. They managed to get Aiden Markram cheaply out (15 off 13), but that was about all from DC before the middle order loomed with heavy damage. Mitchell Marsh and Nicholas Pooran shed devastation as the second-wicket pair and produced an 87-run stand for their roles. 

On any given day, Marsh will destroy you with his fiery 72 from 36 runs studded with six sixes and six fours to ignite the tone. 

Keeping up with his imperious form, Pooran ripped 75 off just 30 balls before he fell to Mitchell Starc (3/42). Despite these efforts, however, DC from death overs staged a fight back capturing 209/8 in LSG. Of the pack, Kuldeep Yadav (2/20) was the most outstanding performer with those very important wickets.

DC’s Shaky Beginning with Ashutosh Heroics 

Chasing 210, DC disastrously started its innings, losing three wickets in the first ten balls’ powerplay. With brief resistance by Faf du Plessis (29 off 18) and Axar Patel (22 off 11), DC collapsed to 65/5. Subsequently, Ashutosh constructed a partnership of 48 with Tristan Stubbs (34 off 22) and followed along with another crucial partnership with Vipraj (39 off 15). But there was always a procession as wickets kept falling, making it quite an uphill battle. 

With 18 balls left, Ashutosh took up the challenge, requiring 46 runs. The effortless flow of his bat turned the match around and led to a last winning six to pave the way for DC’s one-wicket victory with three balls to spare.

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Lessons Drawn From the Match 

• Emerging Finisher: Ashutosh Sharma 

His innings portrayed a balance of temperament, power-hitting prowess, and calmness in tough times. 

• DC’s Never-Say-Die Attitude 

Even when early wickets faltered, DC kept the belief sown and proved how deep their batting lineup was. 

• Missed Opportunities on the Senator’s End 

They did deliver with the bat, but it was their bowlers who could not defend such a huge score, especially at those death ends. 

Forward Lucrative Taking 

On a propitious note, DC kick-started their campaign in the IPL 2025 with a resounding note with Ashutosh’s performance to add to their side’s morale strength. Meanwhile, on the other hand, LSG would now have to look into their bowling issues and bounce back in the upcoming matches. 

Cricket fans still have a lot to look forward to as the tournament gathers steam, for Ashutosh’s innings is telling this season is going to be an absolute thriller!

Having begun off with a bang in IPL 2025, the proceedings seem more likely to go on to have such exciting matches. So will Ashutosh continue with his dream run? Catch more IPL action!

FAQs 

Q1: What were the runs scored by Ashutosh Sharma during the match?

A: Not a bad effort by Ashutosh Sharma to finish with 66 runs from 31 balls, and this innings truly became the linchpin for DC in winning the match today. 

Q2: Why did Ashutosh dedicate the ‘Player of the Match’ award to Shikhar Dhawan? 

A: Ashutosh considers Shikhar Dhawan a mentor and wants to give credit to him for the guidance and support he gave in Ashutosh’s cricketing career. 

Q3: What would have been the turning point of the match? 

A: The turning point was Ashutosh’s hitting in the last three overs: 46 runs from just 11 deliveries.

Q4: How did LSG perform during the match? 

A: LSG scored 209/8 powered by Mitchell Marsh’s 72 and Nicholas Pooran’s 75. But their bowlers could not contain Ashutosh Sharma in those death overs.