Another night, another uncapped player steals the show. This time, it was the impact substitute Ashutosh Sharma, whose late blitz ensured Delhi Capitals clinched victory with just one wicket in hand. His unbeaten 66 off 31 balls helped his side edge Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL match in Vizag.
Playing on a batting paradise, a high-scoring encounter was always on the cards. Keeping the dew factor in mind, DC’s newly appointed captain, Axar Patel, opted to bowl first. There was also the factor of a depleted LSG bowling line-up, which lacked firepower and a leader to spearhead the unit.
However, LSG backed their batting strengths and tried to put the game beyond DC’s reach. With an explosive top-order featuring Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh and Nicholas Pooran, alongside the experienced David Miller lower down, LSG posted 209. Rishabh Pant, though, fell for a duck in a tight over from Kuldeep Yadav.
It was a Pooran and Marsh show, though. Both attacked every bowler at will. Mitchell Starc, despite finishing with three wickets, was taken for 28 runs in his first two overs. In fact, apart from Axar and Kuldeep, no DC bowler had an economy rate below 10.5.
The duo’s 87-run partnership put LSG in a commanding position. Marsh, after a fiery 72 off 36 balls, perished while trying to clear long-on against Mukesh Kumar. Meanwhile, Pooran, who smashed 75 off just 30 balls — including a brutal 28-run over off Tristan Stubbs — was eventually cleaned up by Starc.
When DC came out to bat, LSG immediately put them on the back foot. Within the powerplay, they lost four wickets, two of which came in the first over bowled by Shardul Thakur, a man with a point to prove after going unsold in the auction. Signed as an injury replacement for Mohsin Khan, Thakur made an instant impact.
Axar attempted to steady the innings alongside Faf du Plessis, ensuring DC kept up a run rate of around 10 by the end of the powerplay. However, with LSG’s spinners striking at regular intervals, half of DC’s batting line-up was back in the pavilion by the seventh over.
Stubbs tried to mount a comeback but was undone by a beauty from impact substitute M. Siddharth. However, DC found another unexpected hero in Vipraj Nigam. While he couldn’t take them over the line, his fearless knock of 39 off 15 balls gave LSG plenty to think about.
Then came Ashutosh’s match-winning assault. Taking on every bowler —including the seasoned Ravi Bishnoi — he turned the game on its head with his scintillating strike rate of more than 200, sealing a thrilling victory for DC from the jaws of defeat.
And he does it in
Ashutosh Sharma, take a bow!
A #TATAIPL classic in Vizag
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