VIZAG: In the sweltering heat of Visakhapatnam, a new star cemented his place in IPL folklore. Ashutosh Sharma, no longer just a promising talent, emerged as the definitive match-winner Delhi Capitals envisioned when they invested Rs 3.8 crore in him at the mega auction.
Wearing Delhi’s navy blue with pride on Monday evening, Sharma orchestrated one of the most remarkable heists in IPL history, hammering an unbeaten 66 off 31 balls to snatch victory from Lucknow Super Giants in a nail-biting finish that will be remembered for years to come.
“He’s got confidence, raw power and the ability to impact games in minutes,” raved DC mentor Kevin Pietersen, struggling to contain his excitement after witnessing Sharma’s masterclass.
When Delhi were reeling at 113/6 in the 13th over, needing a seemingly impossible 97 runs from just 45 balls, most spectators had written them off. What followed was a lesson in calculated aggression as Sharma methodically dismantled Lucknow’s bowling attack.
His performance reached its crescendo in the final stages, where he unleashed a remarkable assault – scoring 47 runs off his final 12 deliveries. Even when Kuldeep Yadav was run out in the penultimate over leaving Delhi with their last wicket, Sharma remained unfazed.
“I learned from last year,” Sharma reflected post-match. “I missed out on finishing games on a couple of occasions in the previous season. The whole year I focused and visualized this exact scenario. I had the belief that if I play till the last over, anything can happen.”
This wasn’t a fluke performance. Last season with Punjab Kings, Sharma showed glimpses of his finishing prowess, notably scoring 31 off 17 balls against Gujarat Titans and a blistering 61 off 28 balls against Mumbai Indians. Though both ended in defeat, they were harbingers of what was to come.
“Last year was really good, but that’s history for me,” Sharma asserted. “I’ve taken the positives from there and worked specifically on my weaknesses. What you’re seeing now is the application of everything I’ve developed in domestic cricket.”
What sets Sharma apart is his extraordinary strike rate, which hovers around an astonishing 184.50 in T20 cricket. Cricket enthusiasts might recall his 11-ball fifty against Arunachal Pradesh in the 2023 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy – the fastest by an Indian in T20 cricket.
Delhi Capitals captain Axar Patel was effusive in his praise: “The way he turned it around, it’s something special. We were down and out, but Ashutosh made it happen.”
Perhaps most impressive was Sharma’s game management when batting with the tail. He rotated strike brilliantly, shielded his partners when needed, and unleashed calculated aggression against specific bowlers – qualities reminiscent of finishers like MS Dhoni.
“I think about the shots I’ve practiced. If I connect one or two, I keep going,” Sharma explained his straightforward approach.
His journey to this point has been anything but smooth. Once denied entry to a cricket ground by a current IPL team coach and having battled depression when his career hung in the balance, Sharma’s resilience has been as impressive as his batting.
As IPL 2025 unfolds, Ashutosh Sharma has announced himself not just as a player to watch, but as a genuine match-winner who thrives under extreme pressure. For Delhi Capitals, his emergence couldn’t have come at a better time.
With this defining performance, Sharma hasn’t just won a cricket match – he’s staked his claim as India’s next great finisher in the shortest format of the game.