Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra thought that the match was done and dusted when Jitesh Sharma was dismissed against Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad on Thursday. While chasing 200 runs, PBKS found themselves at 150-6 after Jitesh Sharma was dismissed.
However, Shashank Singh and impact player Ashutosh Sharma got the visitors over the line. While Singh scored an unbeaten 61 off just 29 balls, Sharma scored 31 runs off just 17 balls to help their team chase down the highest score of IPL 2024.
Shashank Singh scored six fours and four sixes in his match-winning knock as he scored at a strike rate of 210.34. Thus, the 32-year-old was awarded Player of the Match for his fine knock.
Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel, “When PBKS got to bat, they didn’t start well. (Jonny) Bairstow did hit four or five fours but Shikhar (Dhawan) got out, and then Bairstow. Prabhsimran Singh played well for a while but then Sam Curran got out. He hit the ball straight into the fielder’s hand.”
“Then when Jitesh (Sharma) got out, I said that’s it, how would they win now? Noor had already picked up two wickets and Rashid Khan had an over left. However, Shashank came there, as it is said ‘Shashank Redemption’. He comes from Mumbai, went to Puducherry as well, and then came to Chhattisgarh,” the former India opener added.
Interestingly, Punjab Kings had bid mistakenly for Shashank Singh in the auction but he proved his mettle against GT.
“He has a decent sample size of cricket. He once hit Lockie Ferguson at the Wankhede, if I remember correctly. He hit 20-odd runs in an over, he was very good. After that, no one, including Punjab, wanted him and we were thinking why because there are very few batters who bat down the order and he has the power, and he showed that power,” he stated.
The renowned commentator lauded Singh for his range of shots and his game awareness to help PBKS get over the line in a difficult chase.
“The sort of shots he played and the way he read the ball from the hand, the range, and the game awareness he showed was absolutely outstanding. Singh is king, very good. Then came Ashutosh (Sharma) as an Impact Player. He got to bat at No. 8. You send a No. 8 player when nothing is left in the match,” he added.
“We saw the same cricketing smarts in him as well. This is a different kind of generation, whether it is Ashutosh or Shashank Singh. Both of them were absolutely stellar. Shashank was playing very well. However, if Ashutosh hadn’t played well, Shashank’s knock wouldn’t have been of any use,” the cricketer-turned-commentator added.
Punjab Kings will next take on Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali on Tuesday.
