When it seemed everything was lost for Delhi Capitals reeling on 62 for 7 in 7 overs dwarfed by a 209 target, there emerged impact batsman Ashutosh in an out of this world 66 balls cameo off 31 balls ringing with 5 to the stands and an equal number across to sealing an incredible win in so changing a cold wintry defeatist atmosphere in the Delhi dressing room to a bright summer sunshine within 45 minutes of an IPL cliff hanger winning by one wicket over Lucknow Super Kings with three balls to spare at Visakapatnan yesterday.
If a weather pattern has this miraculous weather change from the peak of winter to an instant summer, how would you define it? Miracle which is what Delhi Capitals miracle man achieved at the Viskapatnam in easing that numb hung heads bad dressing room feeling in the company of South African import Tristan Stubbs in putting behind what had once largely seemed a resigned fate play out of going through the motions of batting the 20 overs
Ashutosh Sharma made 20 runs in 20 balls but suddenly blew hot to thumping his way to 66 not out with those 5 boundaries and 5 sixes in 31 deliveries with a strike rate of 212 .40 and pull that rabbit outy of the hat to a packed night crowd at Visakhapatnam Stadium.
Lucknow Super Kings, sent into bat, made 209 for 8 wickets a winning target with Michelle Marsh a brisk 72 and Nicholas Poram a Caribbean powerhouse 75 up the order whilst David Miller made an unbeaten 21 to keep the home fires burning with the rest LSK batters only adding numbers and defined as also batted players in the score book.
Mitchell Starc 3 for 42 and Kuldeep Yadev 2 for 20 kept the LSK batters under check, but let Marsh, Poram, and David Miller score take only calculated risk against their skill levels in pace and wrist spin respectively. The 87 run partnership between Marsh and Poram added so much value to the Rishab Pant led LSK batting unit.
209 as a run chase on given conditions was not herculean based on the batting strength of Delhi Capitols, adding to the equation of the limited bowling options of Lucknow Super Kings
Batting collapse haunted Delhi Capitols as they lost 3 quick wickets with 7 runs on the board and looked for an impact batting option with 62 runs on the recorders score book with 5 top order batters off duty sitting in the dug out with sombre faces.
Things simply took a turn. Debutant Vipraj Nigam displayed Dutch courage from a fascinating go for gold attitude whencc he thumped 39 off 15 balls , supporting Tristen Stubbs, who made 34 before that man Ashutosh Sharma let his bat talk with Delhi Capitals needing 62 runs in 30 balls and 4 wickets in hand.
At the true meaning or shorten form of the cliche “Glorious uncertainties of cricket ” is often read, but to witness it is an opportunity.
End result Delhi Capitals, with the aid of that impact player responding to the name of an unheared star in Ashutosh Sharma, smashes the LSK bowling to take his team home with 3 balls to spare by reminding cricket fans the true meaning of “Glorious uncertainties of our beloved game.