In an exciting match, Ashutosh Sharma’s explosive 66 not out led Delhi Capitals to a remarkable one-wicket win over Lucknow Super Giants in their IPL 2025 opener. The contest took place in Visakhapatnam, and it featured plenty of ups and downs, with DC at a steep 211-run target and starting their innings at 7 for 3. But Ashutosh and debutant Vipraj Nigam would end up being the stars for DC, bringing them home with three balls remaining amid the drama and hope… and some heartbreak.
LSG’s Strong Start
Lucknow Super Giants, batting first after winning the toss, registered a challenging total of 209 for 8. Nicholas Pooran struck a phenomenal 75 off 30 balls and Mitchell Marsh smashed a blistering 72 off 36 balls to get LSG off to a flying start. The two of them put together an innings-changing partnership of 87 off just 42 balls for the second wicket and both batsmen were able to impose themselves on the game. Pooran had a strike rate of a staggering 250, belting six fours and seven sixes, including a jaw-dropping 28-run over against DC’s Tristan Stubbs. On the other hand, Marsh took Mitchell Starc and other DC pacers on attacking as only he could. LSG, at one point, looked set for 250 total, but the DC bowlers staged a magnificent come-back at the death to keep LSG in check and restrict the total lower than needed.
Kuldeep Yadav and Starc were the key players that changed the game for DC. Kuldeep took care of captain Rishabh Pant, dismissing him for a duck, while Starc was able to disturb Pooran’s stumps, slowing the LSG’s momentum. The pair mounted a considerable flurry of wickets in the final overs, limiting LSG to just 48 runs in their last seven, with DC conceding only 33 runs between overs 14 and 19. David Miller’s last-minute blitz, smashing two sixes off Mohit Sharma in the last over, had LSG finishing at 209 which felt a bit under what was needed, especially given the dew had not yet played its factor.
DC’s Dramatic Chase
The pursuit of victory for the Delhi Capitals, however, was anything but uneventful. The attempted chase witnessed a full-on capitulation by the DC top order as they found themselves at just 7 runs for 3 wickets in the second over of their innings. The early dismissals of Jake Fraser-McGurk, Abishek Porel and Sameer Rizvi left the Delhi Capitals in severe, critical trouble. Additionally, when both Axar Patel and Faf du Plessis fell as well, the scoreboard showed 65 for 5 in the seventh over of the game.At that point, Delhi Capitals had little hope of winning, with ESPNcricinfo’s win probability dropping to 1.46%. But then Ashutosh Sharma, who started out as the DC Impact Player, began his methodical assault. Ashutosh Sharma began his attack in the corners of the scoring charts on the back of a slow start, igniting a momentum shift in the game partnered with debutant, Vipraj Nigam.
Nigam’s rapid 39 runs from just 15 balls, featuring two fours and a six against Ravi Bishnoi, sparked the chase. After Nigam fell with DC still needing 42 from 23 balls, Ashutosh kept going. His powerful hitting—including three consecutive sixes from Bishnoi—narrowed the equation to 22 runs from 12 balls, with DC still at just two wickets. As the game reached a nail-biting finish, the tension was palpable in the closing moments. Kuldeep Yadav was run out trying to get Ashutosh back on strike, but a calm single from Mohit Sharma off Shahbaz Ahmed’s first ball got Ashutosh back on strike. With six runs still needed off the last over, Ashutosh clobbered Shahbaz for a humongous six and a four, giving DC a memorable victory.
Ashutosh’s Composure Under Pressure
Ashutosh’s innings, comprising 46 runs off a mere 11 balls, illustrated his excellent temperament under pressure. His exposure as a finisher for Punjab Kings in IPL 2024, albeit in losing causes, seemed to prepare him for handling such situations. A tight finish coupled with Ashutosh’s level-headedness under pressure and assistance from his teammates, allowed DC to defy all odds and achieve the improbable.
“It was all about staying composed. I knew we had a shot, but it had to be a perfect execution,” Ashutosh said after the match. “I’m just happy I could finish it for the team.”
A Game of Two Halves
Though LSG had control of the match in the first half thanks to the explosive hitting from Pooran and Marsh, DC had a chance to come back in large part due to the effort from Kuldeep and Starc with the ball. Ultimately, it was the finishing touches of Ashutosh that gave DC a dramatic win and proved to be too much for Lucknow’s bowlers to contend with. The Delhi Capitals opened their account in IPL 2025 with an all-round effort, led by Ashutosh, before terrific efforts from Nigam, Starc, and Kuldeep put them into a position to win.
LSG will be disappointed (again) with how they let the game out of their hands after a blistering start. While DC was celebrating a fantastic victory, LSG captain Rishabh Pant had an expression of disbelief, though he admitted they had come so close, but couldn’t quite finish it off in thrilling fashion. It was certainly a great way to start the 2025 IPL season, and both teams gave fans an entertaining match.
Scorecard: LSG vs DC, 4th Match at Visakhapatnam, IPL, Mar 24 2025
Lucknow Super Giants 209/8
Nicholas Pooran 75 (30)
Mitchel Marsh 72 (36)
David Miller 27 (19)
Mitchel Starc 3/42
Kuldeep Yadav 2/20
Mukesh Kumar 1/22
Delhi Capitals 211/9
Ashutosh Sharma 66 (31)
Vipraj Nigam 39 (15)
Tristan Stubbs 34 (22)
Shardul Thakur 2/19
Digvesh Rathi 2/31
Manimaran Siddharth 2/39
Result: Delhi Capitals won by 1 wicket
Read More: LSG’s Mayank Yadav Injured Again, Likely To Miss Upcoming Matches
