April 19 (Punjab Khabarnama) : Ashutosh Sharma got a sizzling half-century, but it wasn’t enough as Punjab Kings crashed to a nine-run defeat against Mumbai Indians in their IPL 2024 fixture, in Mullanpur on Thursday. Ashutosh smacked 61 runs off 28 deliveries, packed with two fours and seven sixes, and showed some amazing strokeplay.
One of the highlights in his knock was a paddle-swept six off Jasprit Bumrah in the 13th over of the run-chase. He got low to paddle sweep a full delivery by Bumrah for a maximum.
When asked about that shot after the match, the 25-year-old said, “It was my dream to sweep Bumrah. I had practiced this shot but I did it against the world’s best bowler.”
“It’s fine, it is all part of the game,” he joked.
Chasing 193, PBKS were bowled out for 183 in 19.1 overs, courtesy of three-wicket hauls from Bumrah, Gerald Coetzee. Initially, a knock of 78 runs off 53 balls by Suryakumar Yadav saw MI post 192/7 in 20 overs. For PBKS’ bowling department, Harshal Patel scalped three dismissals.
After the match, PBKS skipper Sam Curran had plenty of praise for Ashutosh. “Another close one, I think this team likes a close one, but unfortunately another loss. Another incredible knock from the young guy (on Ashutosh), but another close loss. It’s very tough, you want to lose close games rather then getting absolutely thumped, but we’ve lost a lot of wickets at the start, the way the younger guys have taken the team so close is heartening (on Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma),” he said.
“They have incredible confidence, you see a guy like Ashutosh having the confidence to play the sweeps and the big hits against pacers, it’s so great to watch them in action,” he added.
The win sent MI to seventh position in the IPL 2024 points table with six points. Meanwhile, PBKS have fallen to ninth position with four points.