Mullanpur, April 19: It is no more a secret that the two Punjab Kings' late middle order batters Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma can pull a win from jaws of defeat if they get their acts right and if they play till the end while chasing in a T20 game. They have already made a special impression in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024.
Against Mumbai Indians on Thursday evening, Shashank could not continue for long. But Ashutosh Sharma in company of tail-enders almost took the Punjab franchise across the line.
Such was his impact that even after his dismissal the last PBKS pair, especially Kagiso Rabada threatened to post a rare win.
After Ashutosh Sharma threatened to get an improbable win for Punjab Kings through his whirlwind 25-ball 61, Mumbai Indians’ batter Suryakumar Yadav (SKY) praised the youngsters’ knock, saying it was a fantastic display of his skills in the fag end of the match.
At the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, PBKS were in real trouble of being bundled out for a low total when they were reduced to 14/4 and later at 77/6 in the chase of 193.
After Shashank Singh hit a 25-ball 41, Ashutosh slammed a whirlwind 25-ball 61, also his first fifty in the IPL and almost single-handedly won the match for PBKS out of nowhere. But once he fell to Gerald Coetzee in the 18th over, PBKS were eventually dismissed for 183 in 19.1 overs.
"He's not mini-Surya, I think he made a fantastic display of his skill and in that moment, I think if you bat like this, he almost won his team the match. I also have the mindset to come and bat and be a game-changer for the team, that's what he tried in the game.
"I had a lot of fun watching him bat. I can't say I wanted him to win the game for them, but the way he was batting, I really enjoyed watching it. I was relieved when Punjab’s score was 14/4, I started to relax. As the game went forward, their lower order batted really well," said Suryakumar to JioCinema, the official digital streaming partner of IPL 2024.
Suryakumar also revealed that he reached out to both Shashank and Ashutosh after the duo led PBKS to an unbelievable three-wicket win by chasing down 200 in 19.5 overs against Gujarat Titans’ at Ahmedabad on April 4.
"When he played his first knock against the Gujarat Titans, it was the first time I messaged him, Shashank Singh and Ashutosh both, there they had won the match from a similar situation... I speak to both of them regularly. I have seen their mindset and work ethic, which is brilliant. I hope both of them keep playing like this and not change their game," he added.
In the same match, Suryakumar brought out his trademark shots to make a fine 78 and power Mumbai Indians to a daunting 192/7. On a two-paced Mullanpur pitch, Suryakumar hit seven fours and three sixes, showing impeccable wrist-work and collecting boundaries behind the square to hit his highest IPL score against PBKS.
"I am extremely happy we won this game because of how important it was for both teams. Whoever won would progress one step further but bringing back our momentum into the tournament was important," he said on the narrow win over PBKS.
While MI will next face top-ranked Rajasthan Royals at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on Monday evening, PBKS will be hosting GT at Mullanpur on Sunday evening.
Will Ashutosh continue to impress, seems so. Even Shashank can continue to excel. But for sure, they are not the only young stars who have created an impression in this edition of the IPL, there are a few others too.
But maverick and fearsome Suryakumar, so far has not extended his appreciations to all of them. His word of praises for Ashutosh definitely matters a lot, not for the young batter only, but for future of Indian cricket as well. (With IANS support)
