Ashutosh Sharma’s last-over heroics steal victory for Delhi Capitals as Pant chooses to focus on positives despite missed stumping in the final moments.
Visakhapatnam, March 25: In a high-octane IPL 2025 thriller between Delhi Capitals (DC) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), DC skipper Rishabh Pant remained composed despite a missed stumping opportunity that could have shifted the game in LSG’s favor. The pulsating contest ended in a nail-biting one-wicket win for DC, powered by a stunning knock from *Ashutosh Sharma (66)**.
With six needed off the final over, Pant threw a curveball by handing it to Shahbaz Ahmed. On the very first delivery, Mohit Sharma missed the ball, and Pant fumbled a potential stumping. He opted for DRS, hoping for an LBW, but the ball was missing the stumps.
Mohit nudged a single to bring Ashutosh back on strike — and the rest was history. The 26-year-old uncapped batter launched a majestic six straight over Shahbaz’s head, sealing an unforgettable victory for Delhi.
“Definitely, luck plays a part. If it had missed his pads, there was a stumping chance. But these things happen in cricket. Instead of focusing on what went wrong, you need to play better cricket,” Pant said at the post-match presentation.
Despite the heartbreaker, Pant acknowledged that LSG’s batters had done a fine job. Mitchell Marsh (72) and Nicholas Pooran (75) set the tone with a destructive 87-run partnership, pushing LSG to a formidable 209/8 after being asked to bat first.
Pant, however, chose to highlight the positives, including strong partnerships by the Capitals under pressure.
“It was a good score, and we got early wickets. But they had key partnerships — one with Stubbs, one with Ashutosh, and one with Vipraj (Nigam), who really turned the game. We felt the pressure, but we’re learning with each game,” he added.
After being reduced to 65/5, Delhi’s chase appeared doomed. But Ashutosh stood tall, forming a 43-run stand with Axar Patel, a 45-run partnership with Tristan Stubbs, and a game-changing 55-run stand with debutant Vipraj Nigam (39 off 15).
“We knew it was a good wicket to bat on. We had to keep doing the basics right. Yes, we’re still settling as a team, but there are a lot of takeaways,” Pant concluded.
While Ashutosh may have stolen the headlines, Pant’s calm leadership and pragmatic outlook underscore DC’s mindset — resilient, adaptable, and focused on growth.