London [UK], June 1: Indian batter Ashutosh Sharma, known for his explosive performances in the IPL, made an emphatic start to his club cricket stint in England, scoring a blistering century off 70 balls for Wigan Cricket Club during their match against Formby CC in the Liverpool and District Cricket Competition.
The match, part of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) Premier League structure, saw Ashutosh walk in at a precarious 17/3 in 9.5 overs. Teaming up with opener Aveen Dalugod, he stabilized the innings with a 153-run partnership, eventually scoring 100 off 73 balls with 8 fours and 6 sixes, at a strike rate of 136.99, according to Wisden.
His dismissal triggered a second collapse for Wigan, who crumbled from 170/3 to 195/7 in 41 overs.
Ashutosh had arrived in the UK just hours before the match on Saturday morning, but showed no signs of jet lag as he brought his aggressive IPL form to English club cricket.
IPL Rise and Domestic Record
Ashutosh caught the spotlight during the 2023 IPL season with Punjab Kings, scoring 189 runs in nine innings at a strike rate of 167.25, including a crucial fifty. He was picked up by Delhi Capitals (DC) this season, where he delivered again with 204 runs in nine innings, averaging 29.14 with a strike rate of 160.62. A memorable fifty came in a thriller against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).
Despite his efforts, DC narrowly missed the IPL 2024 playoffs, finishing fifth with seven wins, six losses, and one no result.
Professional Cricket Stats
Ashutosh is yet to register a century in professional white-ball cricket, with:
- List A: 297 runs in 14 matches, avg. 22.84, best 75
- T20s: 976 runs in 44 matches (37 innings), avg. 32.53, strike rate 177.45, 8 fifties, best 84
His performance in England is expected to further his development and keep him in contention for future India selections, especially in white-ball formats.