Ashutosh, the Punjab Kings batsman, expressed firm belief in securing a win versus Gujarat Titans in Thursday’s IPL 2024 clash, regardless of the difficult circumstances. He credited his Railways stint in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, saying it bolstered his confidence. Ashutosh Sharma remained undaunted, drawing strength from prior performances to tackle the upcoming challenge.
The 25-year-old hit 31 off only 17 balls and had a seventh-wicket partnership of 43 runs with Shashank Singh (61* off 29) as Punjab Kings chased 200 against Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. PBKS won by three wickets, with one ball to spare.
Shashank Singh hit 6 fours, 4 sixes. His match-winning innings was powerful. Meanwhile, Ashutosh joined as Impact Player. He smashed 3 fours, 1 six. After the match, Ashutosh, 25, talked about his special knock:
“It was my first match of the (IPL) season, but I had won a match for Railways and this was a similar situation. I thought that I’d bat with that same mindset.
“I had the confidence to pull it off because I had won games for the team in the Mushtaq Ali tournament. I kept telling myself that I will do it.”
Ashutosh Sharma
Ashutosh Sharma became a sensation when his rapid fifty outshone Yuvraj Singh’s record for India’s quickest T20 half-century. In October last year, he reached fifty in just eleven deliveries, smashing Railways’ opponents Arunachal Pradesh.
Yuvraj’s previous benchmark was a twelve-ball fifty against England in Durban during the 2007 T20 World Cup. That iconic innings saw him famously clobber Stuart Broad for six maximums in an over. Ashutosh’s feat now eclipses that historic knock.
The right-handed dynamo expressed gratitude towards the PBKS coaching staff and management. He lauded their unwavering backing and faith in his ability to deliver explosive performances.
“I had the confidence because coaches and management were backing me a lot. They had the belief that I could finish games. I carried that confidence and applied it in the middle. I felt very good that I could justify their belief.”
Ashutosh Sharma
Chasing 200, the Punjab Kings were in serious trouble after losing half their side for 111, but the seventh-wicket partnership between Ashutosh and Shashank turned the game around.
“We were calm and didn’t panic” – Ashutosh Sharma on his partnership with Shashank
Reflecting on his game-changing stand alongside Shashank, Ashutosh Sharma praised the former for his devastating knock. He further stated that despite the high asking price, neither of them worried, and that they felt in control.
“Shashank played an impactful knock even as wickets were falling at one end. Both of us had the belief that we would win the game for the team. We were calm and didn’t panic.”
Ashutosh Sharma
Kings of Punjab conquered the Titans from Gujarat – their next IPL 2024 will be against SunRisers Hyderabad on April 9th, in Mohali.