Vishakhapatnam, March 25 After leading Delhi Capitals to a dramatic one-wicket win over Lucknow Super Giants with his impressive knock of 66 not out, Ashutosh Sharma dedicated his 'Player of the Match' award to mentor and former India opener Shikhar Dhawan.
What made the moment even more special for Ashutosh was a special video call with Dhawan himself, the video of which was shared by Delhi Capitals on their social media and went viral.
"He was really happy. Love you paaji," Ashutosh said in a video shared by DC.
Dhawan and Ashutosh played together at Punjab Kings (PBKS) last season, before the former announced his retirement from the game. Dhawan, who retired from all formats of cricket earlier this year, had been Ashutosh’s mentor during their time together at Punjab Kings.
The former India opener, known for his leadership and composure, had a significant influence on Ashutosh’s growth as a player. His mentorship extended beyond the Punjab Kings setup, with Dhawan's positive influence shaping the careers of numerous young cricketers.
"Took the lessons from last year. Missed out on finishing the game on a couple of occasions in the previous season. The whole year I focused and visualised it. Had the belief that if I play till the last over, anything can happen. Well played to Vipraj. I asked him to keep hitting. He was very calm under pressure. Want to dedicate this award to my mentor Shikhar Paaji," Ashutosh said after being named 'Player of the Match'.
After DC skipper Axar Patel won the toss and elected to field first. LSG openers Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh made the best of the powerplay overs before terrific overs in the death from Mitchell Starc helped DC restrict LSG to 209/8.
Chasing 210, Ashutosh, who walked in as an Impact Substitute, delivered a game-changing knock, smashing an unbeaten 66 off 31 balls, propelling DC to their highest successful run chase in IPL history. Meanwhile, the 20-year-old Vipraj smashed a 15-ball 39, which played a crucial role in accelerating the innings.
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