Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 25: Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar lauded batter Ashutosh Sharma for his impressive performance in Delhi Capitals’ (DC) dramatic victory over Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in a thrilling match at Vizag. Gavaskar described Ashutosh’s calm and confident knock as one that would be “remembered for a long time” and hailed it as a classic example of bold IPL finishes.
Ashutosh, who had an impactful season with Punjab Kings (PBKS) last year, continued his excellent form, producing an outstanding finish in a nail-biting chase of 210 runs. His composed batting guided DC to a one-wicket win, rescuing them from a precarious position during the run-chase.
In a conversation on Match Center Live at JioHotstar, Gavaskar reminisced about the crucial moment when Mohit Sharma was declared ‘not-out’ after a DRS review on the first ball of the final over. Gavaskar noted that this moment gave the crowd a sense of hope, and it was followed by a smart play from Sharma. “Then came the smart play from Mohit Sharma, an experienced campaigner. He just tapped the ball around, knowing he would not be able to clear the ropes, but the other man–Ashutosh Sharma could. And that was a fabulous finish! This is exactly what we have come to expect from the IPL, yet we always crave more,” Gavaskar said.
The cricket icon further praised Ashutosh’s knock, calling it “Breath-taking, Outstanding, Lightning, and Devastating,” describing it as one of the best finishes in IPL history.
Reflecting on Ashutosh’s growing confidence, Gavaskar mentioned that the batter had a standout season with PBKS last year, scoring 189 runs in nine innings with a strike rate above 167, including a fifty. Gavaskar credited Ashutosh’s self-belief, which has only increased over time. “He played some terrific innings (for PBKS), and his confidence has only grown since. Once you’ve done it before, you enter the next season with even greater self-belief,” Gavaskar added.
Ashutosh’s aggressive stroke play, particularly his powerful sixes that repeatedly cleared the boundary, was highlighted by Gavaskar. “From the very first ball, he was striking it cleanly from the middle of the bat, sending it deep–these were not just occasional sixes clearing the boundary, they were landing in the stands, again and again. This innings will be remembered for a long, long time,” he said.
Match Recap:
DC won the toss and opted to bowl first. Despite dismissing Aiden Markram cheaply (15 in 13 balls), DC quickly found themselves under pressure as Mitchell Marsh and Nicholas Pooran launched a brutal counterattack. Marsh scored 72 off 36 balls, while Pooran blasted 75 off 30 balls, with six fours and seven sixes. LSG finished their innings at 209/8 in 20 overs, with key contributions from Marsh and Pooran.
DC’s bowlers fought back in the back-end of the innings, with Kuldeep Yadav (2/20) and Mukesh Kumar taking important wickets. Mitchell Starc (3/42) also played a crucial role.
In the run-chase, DC faced early setbacks, losing half of their side for just 65 runs. However, Ashutosh and Tristan Stubbs (34 in 22 balls) and Vipraj (39 in 15 balls) staged a brilliant fightback. Ashutosh’s composed finishing led DC to victory with just one wicket and three balls to spare, securing a memorable win.
Ashutosh was named the Player of the Match for his match-winning performance.