IPL 2025: DC duo of Ashutosh-Mohit make history during successful run chase against LSG

VASAKHAPATNAM: The duo of Ashutosh Sharma and Mohit Sharma made history while pulling off a successful run-chase of 210 runs during Delhi Capitals (DC) Indian Premier League (IPL) fixture against Lucknow Super Giants on Monday.

Ashutosh pulled off one of the biggest heists in the IPL in a long while, dragging his team to a successful run-chase of 210 runs from a scary position of 65/5. In DC’s memorable win at Vizag, the final partnership between Ashutosh and Mohit played a key role.

DC was 192/9 after the departure of Kuldeep Yadav for five, with DC still needing 18 runs to win. After that, Ashutosh made a meal out of Prince Yadav’s bowling, hitting him for a four and six after a double, reducing the equation to six runs in the final over.

In the final over, after missing a stumping and an unsuccessful appeal for leg-before-wicket, LSG captain Rishabh Pant had a lot riding on his decisions. Mohit displayed immense game awareness, taking a single to bring Ashutosh on strike, bringing down the equation to five runs in four balls. Ashutosh whacked a straight six, giving DC a win with a wicket and three balls left.

This partnership of 19 runs is the highest by a team in history of the tournament during a one-wicket win, as per Wisden.

Ashutosh’s knock of 66* in 31 balls, with five fours and sixes each, is the second-highest score made by a player batting at number seven or below during a successful run chase in the IPL, levelling with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) star Andre Russell during a chase of 155/9 against Punjab back in 2015. The highest score is by Dwayne Bravo, who made a blistering 68 in 30 balls to take Chennai Super Kings to a one-wicket win against Mumbai Indians (MI)

Coming to the match, DC won the toss and opted to bowl first. While DC got Aiden Markram for cheap (15 in 13 balls), Mitchell Marsh and Nicholas Pooran made sure DC regretted their decision to put LSG to bat, bullying with their bowlers with towering sixes and elegant boundaries. Both had an 87-run stand for the second wicket, with Marsh gone for 72 in 36 balls, with six fours and six sixes.

Pooran stuck around for a bit, before he was undone by Mitchell Starc (3/42). By that time, he had done enough damage by scoring 75 in just 30 balls, with six fours and seven sixes. DC bowlers made a comeback in the back-end of the innings, reducing LSG to 209/8 in their 20 overs, getting skipper Rishabh Pant (0),

Pooran, Ayush Badoni (4) and Shardul Thakur (0) quickly. Miller was left unbeaten at 27* in 19 balls, with a four and two sixes. Kuldeep Yadav (2/20) also got crucial wickets for DC, while Vipraj and Mukesh Kumar got one each.

During the run-chase, DC lost half their side for 65, despite Faf (29 in 18 balls, with three fours and two sixes) and skipper Axar Patel (22 in 11 balls, with three fours and a six) attempting a rebuild after DC was reduced to 7/3.

Ashutosh then had a 48-run stand with Tristan Stubbs (34 in 22 balls, with a four and three sixes) and Vipraj (39 in 15 balls, with five fours and two sixes). After that, the batter pulled off the chase almost single-handedly with a wicket and three balls left.

Shardul, Manimaran Siddharth, Digvesh Rathi and Ravi Bishnoi got two wickets each.  Ashutosh was given the ‘Player of the Match’ award. (ANI)