VISAKHAPATNAM: In one of the most remarkable comebacks in recent IPL history, Ashutosh Sharma produced a batting masterclass to snatch an improbable victory for Delhi Capitals against Lucknow Super Giants in their IPL 2025 opener on Saturday evening at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium.
Chasing a daunting 210, Delhi were staring at certain defeat at 7/3 before Sharma’s unbeaten 66 off just 31 deliveries – studded with five boundaries and an equal number of towering sixes – engineered a sensational one-wicket triumph with two balls to spare.
The 25-year-old middle-order dynamo roared in celebration, swinging his bat and gesturing animatedly toward the Delhi Capitals dugout after launching a straight six off Shardul Thakur to seal the breathtaking chase.
“When wickets were falling around me, I just told myself to stay calm and back my strengths,” said Sharma at the post-match presentation. “The management has shown tremendous faith in me, and I wanted to repay that. This win is special for everyone in our dressing room.”
Earlier, Lucknow Super Giants had posted an imposing 209/8 in their allotted 20 overs, built around Mitchell Marsh’s explosive 72 off 36 balls and Nicholas Pooran’s blistering 75 off just 30 deliveries. The duo hammered a combined 11 sixes to put LSG in a commanding position at the halfway mark.
Delhi Capitals’ chase began catastrophically as they crumbled to 7/3 within the first twelve deliveries. The LSG new-ball pair of Shardul Thakur (3/42) and Manimaran Siddharth (2/35) carved through DC’s top order, removing Jake Fraser-McGurk (2), Abishek Porel (0), and Sameer Rizvi (4) in quick succession.
Captain Axar Patel (22 off 11) and veteran Faf du Plessis (29 off 18) attempted a brief resurrection, but when both fell in consecutive overs, Delhi found themselves reeling at 113/6 in the 13th over, requiring 97 runs from just 45 balls.
The equation seemed beyond reach until Sharma found an unlikely ally in Vipraj Nigam, who smashed a quickfire 39 off 15 balls. Their partnership of 74 in just 5.2 overs shifted momentum dramatically, bringing the required rate back into manageable territory.
“We never lost belief,” DC head coach Ricky Ponting revealed after the match. “Ashutosh has been phenomenal in training, and tonight everyone saw what he’s capable of under extreme pressure.”
With 18 runs needed off the final two overs, Sharma expertly navigated the tension-filled climax. Despite losing Kuldeep Yadav (8) in the 19th over, the right-hander remained unfazed. When Thakur missed his yorker in the final over, Sharma capitalized with a mighty blow over long-on to trigger wild celebrations in the Delhi camp.
LSG captain KL Rahul was visibly disappointed: “We had the game in our control for 30 of the 40 overs. Credit to Ashutosh and Delhi for the way they fought back. We’ll need to close out games better moving forward.”
The victory propels Delhi Capitals to the top of the early IPL 2025 standings, while Lucknow will look to bounce back in their next fixture against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Wednesday.
For Delhi, this remarkable comeback will serve as a powerful statement of their resilience and depth as they begin their campaign to capture a maiden IPL title.