Punjab Kings had chances to win matches in IPL 2024, but mistakes in batting, bowling, and fielding caused their defeats. In their recent game, they faced difficulties at the start of their chase, with the top order failing against Jasprit Bumrah and Gerald Coetzee. However, Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Singh performed well once again and created pressure on Mumbai.
When PBKS were batting, they seemed to have the advantage, but Bumrah’s smart variation in pace got Shashank out. However, Ashutosh was not affected by it and kept scoring boundaries, eventually reaching a fantastic fifty. He even hit a six similar to AB de Villiers on a free hit in an over bowled by Akash Madhwal.
In the 16th over of Punjab’s turn to bat, Madhwal made a mistake by bowling a no-ball on the fourth delivery. This allowed the batter to play without any pressure. The batter had already hit a six before this. He moved his left leg towards the leg side and played a reverse scoop over third man for another six on the free hit. This shot was similar to one played by the famous South African batsman AB de Villiers.
Former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh was well impressed with the batting of Ashutosh and said, “Ashutosh Sharma is the second batter AB de Villiers who has played that shot. I haven’t seen anyone doing it over the years after ABD. De Villiers used to do it. Ashutosh made it look so easy. He is a talented batter, who is getting better after every game.”
Sharma’s innings came to an end after he scored 61 runs from 28 balls. Despite his efforts, Punjab lost the game by 9 runs while chasing a target of 193.
