Punjab Kings’ Ashutosh Sharma performs a shot throughout their match against Mumbai Indians within the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur, in Chandigarh on Thursday.
| Photo Credit: ANI
Punjab Kings’ batting sensation Ashutosh Sharma stated he lived a “dream” when he swept “world’s best fast bowler” Jasprit Bumrah throughout his staff’s IPL conflict against Mumbai Indians right here.
The 25-year-old Ashutosh put the Bumrah-led Mumbai Indians’ bowling to sword right here on Thursday when he hammered seven sixes and two fours to make 61 off a mere 28 balls, a knock which introduced PBKS again from the brink after an early collapse.
PBKS have been 17/4 contained in the powerplay however courtesy the gorgeous fightback from Ashutosh and Shashank Singh (41), they have been ready to get shut to MI’s 193-run goal earlier than shedding by 9 runs.
It was within the thirteenth over of Punjab’s chase when Ashutosh bought down low on his entrance to convert an tried yorker from Bumrah right into a full toss and smack it for a six over backward sq. leg.
“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 advised the media right here after the match.
Ashutosh stated he was assured of taking Punjab over the road.
“I had belief in myself that I would be able to win the game for the team,” he stated.
Ashutosh credited former India participant and coach Sanjay Bangar, head of cricket growth at PBKS, for his enchancment 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 stated.
“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.
The right-handed batter, who made some gestures in the direction of the PBKS dugout after finishing his fifty, stated the celebrations have been meant for his staff administration.
“That celebration was for our Sanjay (Bangar) sir, I have been working a lot with him and I keep asking him questions,” Ashutosh stated.
“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.
Punjab slumped to their fifth defeat in seven matches in addition to to the ninth spot within the factors desk, however Ashutosh stated his facet has been enjoying nicely.
“Winning and losing are part of the game. How you are playing is something that matters and we are playing well as a team. If we will play well, we will win,” he stated.
Mumbai Indians’ pacer Gerald Coetzee conceded his facet was tense after Ashutosh’s gorgeous onslaught.
“He really brought it to us. We just wanted to be really clear tactically what we wanted to do. We executed really well to him in the back end to shut it down and win the game,” the South African bowler stated.
“But it was tense, as I think everyone saw. But it was just all tactical discussions,” he added.
Coetzee conceded Mumbai Indians may’ve been higher with their slower balls, one thing that PBKS used completely within the first half.
“We just really learned from their innings. We adapted our plans and I think it worked,” Coetzee added.
