Incredible.” “Phenomenal.” “This innings will be remembered for a long time.” Just some of the praise former cricketers showered on Ashutosh Sharma after his stunning 31-ball 66 not out led Delhi Capitals (DC) to a thrilling one-wicket win over Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on Monday night in IPL 2025.
Speaking on ESPNcricinfo’s T20 Time Out show, Ambati Rayudu, who has played many high-pressure IPL innings himself, said:
“The most impressive thing is that he was calm, and he was calculative. He was playing good shots. There was no sign of panic. We’ve seen that last year also [when Ashutosh was with Punjab Kings], he’s played some incredible innings.
“This guy has calmness under pressure, and I feel he has the game as well. Especially the balls that are pitching up, yorkers, he has that whip. Breaks those wrists and…”
A Stunning Rescue Act
There’s no debating that. Ashutosh walked in at No. 7 with DC reeling at 65 for 5 in the seventh over while chasing 209. He found some support—first from Tristan Stubbs (34 off 22) and then from debutant Vipraj Nigam (39 off 15). But it was Ashutosh who finished the job, something he struggled to do last season.
“I was very normal at that time [with nine wickets down] and told myself that if he [Mohit Sharma] takes a single, I’ll finish it with a six,” Ashutosh told Delhi Capitals’ official website after the game. “I had full confidence in my ability. I really enjoyed being out there, and my hard work paid off.”
“The mindset is to just follow the basics and believe in my ability. I was just following the process and wanted to take the game as deep as possible. My plan was to accelerate in the slog overs and ensure I batted till the 20th over.”
He did exactly that—smashing a six off Shahbaz Ahmed’s third delivery in the final over to seal a historic win.
Michael Clarke: “This Will Be in the Top Five Innings of IPL 2025”
Former Australia captain and JioStar expert Michael Clarke was in awe of Ashutosh’s performance.
“We’re going to witness many unbelievable innings throughout this IPL, but I promise you, by the end of the tournament, this will be in the top five,” Clarke said. “That was a match-winning effort, single-handedly turning the game around. His team was out of the contest, gone, and he stood up on his own.”
“All he needed was the strike – everyone knew he was either going to hit a six or a four. Honestly, you just have to sit back, applaud, and embrace that innings, no matter which team you support. It was phenomenal.”
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