Jaipur, May 2 (IANS) Delhi Capitals batter Ashutosh Sharma underlined the growing importance of strong starts and finishing roles after his side’s seven-wicket win over Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2026, stating that even daunting chases remain alive till the very end in modern T20 cricket.

Reflecting on the 226-run target, Ashutosh dismissed the notion of early closure in big chases. “A score of 230 is always a big score. No matter how you start, in T20 cricket, the game usually goes till the end. You cannot assume that the match will be finished early. So yes, it was a big total, but it going till the end is part of the game,” he said.

Ashutosh, who remained unbeaten on 25 off 15 balls, including four boundaries, took particular satisfaction in finishing the game. “Whenever the team wins and you are not out, I feel it is always the best innings. Yes, I really enjoyed this innings,” he said.

The right-hander also embraced his role as a finisher in the DC setup. “It is my role and I enjoy being a finisher for my team. The team has trusted me to bat in these situations and I enjoy playing in these moments. I always feel that as long as I am at the crease, I can win the game for my team,” he added.

KL Rahul (75 off 40) and Pathum Nissanka (62 off 33) anchored DC’s chase with a commanding 110-run opening stand that kept the visitors ahead of the required rate. Ashutosh said it was the foundation laid in the powerplay. “

“In T20 cricket nowadays, a lot depends on the opening partnership and the powerplay. Our openers played really well and because of that we were in the game throughout and could take it till the end,” he noted.

He also acknowledged the team’s bowling effort in restricting RR’s dangerous top order. “We wanted to get their opening partnership out early, as they have been doing well in previous matches. That was our plan and it worked, which was good for us,” he said, while adding, “Yes, it made a big difference. They have pace and experience, which we needed, and they bowled really well today. Picking early wickets was very important for the team.”

Earlier, Rajasthan Royals scored 225/6 with Riyan Parag scoring 90 off 50 and Donovan Ferreira remaining unbeaten on 47 off 14 before Mitchell Starc (3/40) brought it back with some crucial strikes.

Tristan Stubbs (18*) and Ashutosh (25*) were cool in the chase as DC, even with a big total in hand, completed the win with five balls to spare. This was the highest-ever run chase the franchise has achieved in IPL history.

Ashutosh also reminisced about his success against RR.

“It is nothing like that, but yes, it is part of the game. I have played around five to six matches against Rajasthan and I have scored runs, and my team has been on the winning side. So yes, I enjoy batting against them,” he said.

Looking ahead, he stressed the need for consistency and clarity. “Every day is a new day. You have to go in with a fresh mindset and a fresh thought. We will focus on one match at a time and not think about anything like revenge. The focus will be on our process.”

On the nature of the format, Ashutosh admitted the game has tilted towards batters. “In most matches now, games are decided by batting. If the opposition bats better, they usually win. So I feel that cricket has become more batting-oriented.”

He also praised the batting-friendly conditions. “It was a really good wicket for batting. The ball was coming on nicely, so it was good to bat on.”

With DC registering their fourth win to move to sixth on the table, Ashutosh summed up the mood in the camp: “Every win is a morale boost for any team. Whenever you win, the atmosphere in the team is very good. So yes, it was an important win for us and we will look to continue this.”

–IANS

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