Delhi Capitals (DC) batter Ashutosh Sharma opined on the importance of a strong opening partnership and use of the powerplay in T20 cricket, after his side’s seven-wicket win over Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the IPL 2026 match on Friday night.

Speaking at the post-match press conference, Ashutosh said, “In T20 cricket nowadays, a lot depends on the opening partnership and the powerplay. Our openers [KL Rahul and Pathum Nissanka] played really well, and because of that, we were in the game throughout and could take it till the end. 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.”

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Ashutosh Sharma, who remained unbeaten on 25 off 15 deliveries, including four boundaries, said he valued staying unbeaten in a winning cause.

“Whenever the team wins, and you are not out, I feel it is always the best innings. Yes, I really enjoyed this inning,” the right-handed batter said. “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,” the DC batter added.

A stunning 110-run opening stand between KL Rahul (75 off 40) and Pathum Nissanka (62 off 33) laid the perfect foundation for a record 226-run chase, which was successfully finished by Tristan Stubbs (18*) and Ashutosh Sharma (25*) with five balls in hand.