Ashutosh Sharma has ensured that his name would remain in the public eye even after the Indian Premier League’s 2024 season concludes. The batter, who sprang to fame after making an incredible cameo in the Punjab Kings’ thrilling comeback victory against the Gujarat Titans earlier in the season, stole the show once more, this time against the Mumbai Indians. And even though the Kings lost to the Indians on Thursday by just 9 runs instead of an amazing victory, Ashutosh’s blitzkrieg attracted the attention of fans all around the world.
With his team suffering at 77/6 in a 193-run chase when he came to bat at no. 8 in just the tenth over of the run-chase, Ashutosh nearly single-handedly sparked Punjab Kings’ hopes for yet another comeback win. Ashtuosh scored 34 runs with fellow uncapped player Shashank Singh (41), then unleashed a devastating attack on MI bowlers, hitting 61 off only 28 deliveries.
His sweep for a six against Jasprit Bumrah, one of the top fast bowlers in the world, was one of the numerous strokes he performed during his innings that astounded the spectators on social media. The ball in question was a free hit because the MI star overstepped on the previous delivery. Against the highly effective Bumrah, Ashutosh was able to take an aggressive strategy. Despite the bowler’s effort at a yorker, Ashutosh managed to bend and connect just enough to send the ball hurtling behind square for an incredible six.
The crowd was stunned by the hit, and Ashutosh, who was getting more and more confident with every ball, reduced the opposition’s deficit to a manageable 25 runs off just 18 deliveries. The South African’s slower ball proved to be the decisive blow, as the batsman was removed off Gerald Coetzee’s first delivery of the eighteenth over, failing to deliver the knock-out blow on MI. The teenage player from PBKS attempted to pass the midwicket boundary, but he was caught by Mohammad Nabi after he mistimed the ball.
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Nevertheless, after the valiant victory, the opposing captain, Hardik Pandya, screamed accolades for the PBKS star as the batter left to a standing ovation from his teammates and the Mullanpur crowd.
‘Unbelievable,’ says Hardik Pandya
Hardik said that Ashutosh Sharma has a bright future and complimented him on his impeccable timing.
“Hitting the ball off the center and playing the way he did was unbelievable. It’s excellent for his prospects. We did talk about it during the timeout—not about how we look—and we’ll continue to battle to avoid bowling the soft balls. We were soft in certain overs, but the batsmen played nice hits,” Hardik said.
