"IPL 2025: Ashutosh Sharma's Heroics Power DC to Thrilling Last-Over Win vs LSG | Match 4 Review"

The fourth game of IPL 2025 brought one of the most charged contests of the year so far as the Delhi Capitals (DC) pulled off an exciting one-wicket win against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam. The game was a rollercoaster ride, with both sides showing flashes of brilliance, but the heroics of Ashutosh Sharma saw DC turn the tide in their favor and get their first win of the season in thrilling circumstances.

DC won the match by 1 wicket

### **LSG Sets a Formidable Target**

Lucknow Super Giants won the toss and chose to bat first on what appeared to be a batting pitch. Their choice proved to be correct as their opening order came out firing on all cylinders. The seasoned pair of KL Rahul and Quinton de Kock laid the platform, with Rahul making a 41 off 26 deliveries at a brisk pace before getting out to a cleverly disguised slower ball from Anrich Nortje. De Kock, however, was in imperious form, hitting boundaries with ease. But he was undone by a masterful delivery from Kuldeep Yadav, falling for a well-gunned 38 off 27 balls.

With both openers gone, the responsibility was left to Mitchell Marsh and Nicholas Pooran to take advantage of the start. Marsh, who has been in impeccable touch, put on display his brute strength, driving the ball to the boundaries of the ground. He scored a vital 72 off only 40 balls, including six massive sixes and five fours. Pooran then offered the ideal counterpoint, going at a furious pace in the death overs with a relentless 75 off 35. His own stint was punctuated with sensational hitting, containing seven colossal sixes that left the DC bowlers in a state of dismay.

But at the time when LSG looked set to surpass the 220-mark, DC bowlers organized a magnificent comeback. Mitchell Starc, who led the bowling attack, provided a crucial spell in the final overs, claiming three wickets for 41 runs in his four overs. Kuldeep Yadav's deceptive wrist spin also played a crucial role, as he picked up two crucial wickets to restrict LSG to 209/8 in 20 overs. Despite the late fall of wickets, 210 appeared to be a tough ask, given DC's recent poor string of their top order.

# **DC's Rocky Beginning**

Chasing a mammoth 210, Delhi Capitals had the worst of starts, losing three wickets in the first 10 deliveries. David Warner, Prithvi Shaw, and Rishabh Pant all departed cheaply, courtesy of some disciplined LSG pacers led by Mark Wood and Ravi Bishnoi. At 17/3, DC was in trouble and badly needed a partnership.

Jake Fraser-McGurk and Tristan Stubbs attempted to stabilize the innings, adding a quick 48-run stand before Fraser-McGurk perished trying to up the ante. Stubbs, though, looked composed and played some delightful shots, keeping DC’s hopes alive. But the pressure of the run rate got the better of him, and he was out for 44 off 29 balls. With the top half of the side in the pavilion at 95/5, LSG appeared to be in charge of the match.

*Ashutosh Sharma's Heroes*

As the game slipped away, it was the forgotten hero Ashutosh Sharma who stepped up in what will be remembered as one of the greatest match-winning knocks in IPL history. A player with a reputation for explosive finishing, Ashutosh played with incredible calmness in spite of the increasing required run rate. His innings were a class in calculated aggression.

He initially found it hard to settle, but once his eye was in, there was no holding him back. He tore apart the LSG bowlers, sending balls to the stands with minimal effort. His attacking stroke play put the other team under massive pressure, and he took DC back into the game. The young batter unloaded a flurry of sixes, targeting the short boundaries and maximizing his big-hitting ability.

Requiring 38 runs off the final three overs, Ashutosh took over and hit two successive sixes off Naveen-ul-Haq in the 18th over. The match took a dramatic turn again when DC lost two wickets in quick succession in the last but one over and were left to score 10 runs off the final over with just one wicket remaining.

At its most intense moment, Ashutosh was unruffled. He lashed a determined boundary off the second delivery of the last over, leaving the equation 4 runs from 3 balls. Then, with nerves of steel, he lofted a length ball straight over long-on for a six to clinch a nerve-wracking victory for Delhi Capitals. He remained unbeaten on 66 off just 31 balls, an innings which will become part of IPL lore for many years to come.

### **Matcthatning Points**

1. **LSG middle-order dominance: Nicholas Pooran and Mitchell Marsh's big-hitting pushed LSG to a commanding total, but their inability to raise it a notch in the last two overs cost them.

2. **DC early collapse: The three wickets that fell in the initial 10 balls put huge pressure on DC, and Ashutosh Sharma's performance was all the more sensational.

3. **Ashutosh's counterattack: His strokeplay aggression turned the game on its head, snatching victory from the jaws of defeat.

4. **Timely strikes by Mitchell Starc: His three-wicket haul during the death overs stopped LSG from posting an even larger total, keeping DC in contention.

### **Player of the Match: Ashutosh Sharma**

For his match-winning 66 off 31 balls in desperate pressure, Ashutosh Sharma deservedly won the Player of the Match. Not only did his innings get DC a much-needed win, but it also heralded his arrival as a game-changer in the IPL.

### **What's Next?**

With this victory, Delhi Capitals have gained crucial momentum at the start of the season. They will attempt to take this momentum forward as they approach their next game. Lucknow Super Giants, however, despite a good batting performance, will need to reassess their bowling plans, especially at critical moments.

This game has set the tone for a thrilling IPL 2025, once again reminding the world why this tournament stands at the pinnacle of T20 cricket. Fans have plenty to cheer about as the season unfolds!