Punjab Kings’ Ashutosh Sharma has been on a roll since making his Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 debut earlier this month. The young batter made a mark on Thursday night when his team was chasing 194 against Mumbai Indians in Mullanpur. He hammered seven sixes and two fours to make 61 off a mere 28 balls, a knock which brought PBKS back from the brink after an early collapse.
Punjab were 17/4 inside the Powerplay but courtesy of the stunning fightback from Ashutosh, and Shashank Singh (41), they were able to get close to MI’s 193-run target before losing by nine runs. The 25-year-old showcased an array of shots during his innings but the one that stood out was the six over backward square leg.
It was in the 13th over of Punjab’s chase when Sharma got down low on his front to convert an attempted Yorker from Jasprit Bumrah into a full toss, smacking it for a maximum.
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Sharma said it was a dream-come-true moment for him when played that shot off Bumrah’s bowling.
“It was my dream to hit a sweep shot against Bumrah. I was practising for that shot but it came against the best bowler in the world – it is a part of the game” Ashutosh told the media here after the match.
“I had belief in myself that I would be able to win the game for the team,” he added.
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Fifty dedicated to coaches and captain
After getting his maiden IPL fifty, Sharma joined his hands and bowed down to his coaches and teammates who were cheering for him from the dressing room. The right-handed batter said the celebrations were meant for his team management.
“That celebration was for our Sanjay (Bangar) sir, I have been working a lot with him and I keep asking him questions,” Ashutosh said.
“He gave me a chance, and also the entire Punjab team which showed belief in me. Our head coach Trevor Bayliss, Ashish (Tuli) paaji, Shikhar (Dhawan) paaji, everyone believed in me, so it was for all of them,” he added.
Ashutosh credited former India player and coach Sanjay Bangar, head of cricket development at PBKS, for his improvement this season.
“Sanjay sir told me that I am not a slogger and that I can play proper cricket shots. It was a small statement but carried a huge meaning for me. I am only following it – I am not a hard-hitter, I am playing proper cricketing shots and that is what has changed my game,” Ashutosh said.
“Back home, I was working with my coach Amay Khurasiya who had told me that the longer you stay on the pitch, the more your team has a chance of winning,” he added.
(With PTI Inputs)
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