Punjab Kings (PBKS) batter Ashutosh Sharma almost pulled off an unbelievable win against Mumbai Indians in the 33rd match of the IPL 2024 tournament. This match was played in Mullanpur, Chandigarh, and saw MI win by 9 runs in the end.
MI was asked to bat first by PBKS captain Sam Curran, who had won the toss. Thanks to an amazing knock of 78 runs by Suryakumar Yadav and contributions of 36 by Rohit Sharma and 34* by Tilak Varma, MI posted 192/7 in 20 overs.
In the chase, Gerald Coetzee and Jasprit Bumrah, picked three wickets each to reduce Punjab Kings to 77/6. Then Shashank Singh (41) and Ashutosh Sharma (61) tried their best and gave MI a mighty scare, MI prevailed in the thrilling encounter to win the match in the end.
Ashutosh Sharma was the star of PBKS batting, hitting 7 sixes and 3 fours in 28 balls he faced, and had he not fallen with PBKS requiring 25 runs in 12 balls, Punjab might have won the match in the end.
I have been practicing these shots: Ashutosh Sharma on his sweep shot for six against Jasprit Bumrah
Ashutosh hit seven maximums in 28 balls at the crease. Ashutosh acknowledged practicing the “dream shot off Bumrah” several times in the nets. The 25-year-old took full advantage of the MI pacer overstepping, dropping to one knee, and sweeping the delivery for a six in the 13th over.
“It was my dream to hit a sweep shot off Jasprit Bumrah. I have been practicing these shots. It’s a game of cricket so it’s very common. we have to focus on our process. When I was playing I had the belief to pull off a win,” Ashutosh said in a post-match presentation.
“Sanjay [Bangar] sir told me that, ‘you’re not a slogger; you play proper cricketing shots and you should focus on [honing] that’. It was that small statement and a show of confidence from him that has made a huge difference for me and turned my game. I’m now just trying to follow that,” Ashutosh added.
