IPL 2025: Faf du Plessis lauds Vipraj Nigam and Ashutosh Sharma after DC stun LSG

Delhi Capitals’ opener Faf du Plessis hailed the batting duo of Vipraj Nigam and Ashutosh Sharma after they registered a thrilling one-wicket win against Lucknow Super Giants at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam on Monday in IPL 2025.

DC were in all sorts of trouble at 65-5 after 6.4 overs and du Plessis, who was the fifth batter to be dismissed, thought it would be almost impossible for his team to make a comeback.

However, cameos from Tristan Stubbs and Vipraj Nigam kept the home team in the contest. While Stubbs scored a 22-ball 34, Nigam, who was making his debut, scored a blistering knock of 15-ball 39. Ashutosh Sharma, the impact player, made the impact for DC as he smashed 66 runs off just 31 balls to help his team get over the line in the run-chase of 210 runs. The 26-year-old clobbered five fours and as many sixes in his match-winning knock.

Faf du Plessis said after the win while talking to the broadcasters, “Amazing game of cricket, lot of cricketers – they will complain about the new rule in IPL. That’s why the new rule is there, when you think the game is dead and buried someone comes on and plays like that. I will drink more masala tea and enjoy that. To be honest, when I looked that wicket, saw how much the ball was gripping and losing 5 wickets, thought it was an impossible task. My old brain told me that you are never out of the game and the extra batter makes so much difference. As an overseas player, so may Indian players can strike it so big. The two boys were effortless with their striking.”

The South African said the game reminded him of a 438-run target against Australia, which the Proteas won while chasing. When DC needed six runs off the final over, Mohit Sharma was able to get a single off the second ball after surviving a close LBW/Stumping chance.

Faf added, “Reminded me a lot of the 438-game against Australia when Makhaya Ntini got 1 at the end. That’s the most important single that Mohit has got in his life, beautiful forward defence.”

Delhi Capitals would next take on Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam on Sunday.