IPL 2025: Ashutosh Sharma helps DC pull off a one-wicket heist vs LSG

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Impact Player Ashutosh Sharma’s unbeaten 66 off 31 balls guided Delhi Capitals to a thrilling one-wicket win against Lucknow Super Giants, chasing a target of 210. Despite losing early wickets, Ashutosh and Vipraj Nigam’s crucial partnership and Pooran’s earlier strong innings set the stage for a magnificent finish in IPL 2025.

Visakhapatnam: Ashutosh Sharma made a bit of a mark last season playing for Punjab Kings in the IPL. Delhi Capitals picked him up for ₹3.8 crores, hoping to shape him up as a finisher. On Monday at the ACA-VDCA Stadium in Visakhapatnam, the 26-year-old spunky right-hander showed he has all the qualities to deliver the goods for his new side.

Chasing 210 against an inexperienced Lucknow Super Giants bowling attack, DC were staring at a loss when they lost half their side for 65 by the seventh over. But Ashutosh (66* off 31 balls; 5×4, 5×6), in the company of debutant all-rounder Vipraj Nigam (39 off 15 balls; 5×4, 2×6), scored 55 off 22 balls for the seventh-wicket partnership. Even after Vipraj got out, Ashutosh kept his nerves and pulled off a one-wicket win with three balls to spare.

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Well aware that Lucknow were without three of their frontline bowlers, Ashutosh paced his match-winning innings beautifully. While his first 20 runs came off as many balls, the next 46 runs were scored off just 11 deliveries. The right-hander, in at No. 7, heavily punished LSG after visiting skipper Rishabh Pant had a forgettable debut for the franchise.

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Pant, who did not disturb the scorers with the bat, dropped Ashutosh when he was on 19 and missed a stumping to remove Mohit Sharma in the first ball of the final over—a dismissal that would have handed the tourists the victory. It wasn’t to be, and Mohit was able to take a single to give the strike back to Ashutosh, who finished it off with a six over left-arm spinner Shahbaz Ahmed’s head. While he won it in the last over, the spadework was done in the 19th over that went for 16 runs, leaving DC to score six off the last.

For large parts of the game, Lucknow seemed to be in command, courtesy of a superb knock by Nicholas Pooran (75 off 30 balls; 6×4, 7×6). Walking out at No. 3, he made the most of a reprieve handed to him on 17 by Sameer Rizvi, who dropped an easy chance at backward-point off leggie Vipraj.

The 29-year-old took special liking for Tristan Stubbs and Vipraj—while he smacked the part-timer for four successive sixes in the 13th over that was worth 28 runs, he struck three maximums off the leg-spinner in the seventh over that cost 25 runs.

Pooran was involved in an 87-run second-wicket partnership with Mitchell Marsh (72 off 36 balls; 6×4, 6×6) after the Australian opener provided the visitors with a superb start. Marsh had set the tone in an expensive third over, winning the Aussie duel against left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc by hitting him for two fours and a six.

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While LSG dominated the first 15 overs, courtesy of Pooran and Marsh, DC made a stunning comeback at the death as they conceded only 39 runs off the last five overs. Lucknow lost their way after Pooran was bowled by Starc in the 15th over, and central to their fightback was left-arm chinaman Kuldeep Yadav.

Kuldeep dismissed Pant for a six-ball duck during his economical effort of 2/20, which was worth its weight in gold on a batting belter. Although Kuldeep’s spin-bowling partner and captain Axar Patel (0/18 off 3 overs) went wicketless, he was near-perfect in his execution.

Get the latest IPL 2025 updates on Times of India, including match schedules, team squads, and IPL live scores for CSK, MI, RCB, KKR, SRH, LSG, DC, GT, PBKS, and RR. Find out how to watch IPL 2025 in Canada and the USA.