Watch- Ashutosh Sharma hits a ball for 4, later asks the umpire to declare it a wide

Punjab Kings' young batter Ashutosh Sharma created a humorous moment in the 17th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. Ashutosh Sharma amusingly requested the umpire to declare the delivery as a wide despite hitting a boundary against the Gujarat Titans (GT).

Ashutosh Sharma grabbed the limelight after playing a crucial role in the Punjab Kings' victory at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Thursday, April 4. Interestingly, the right-handed batter wasn't initially part of the playing XI but was brought in as an Impact Player.

Chasing a challenging 200-run target, PBKS were at 150/6 in 15.3 overs when Ashutosh came to bat at No. 8. He showcased composure and skill, scoring 31 runs off 17 balls, comprising three boundaries and a six. His crucial contribution under pressure proved pivotal in the team's chase.

The 25-year-old batter added 43 runs off just 22 deliveries for the seventh wicket with Shashak Singh. However, Sharma was dismissed when the team needed seven runs off the last six deliveries. Nonetheless, Shashak helped the team chase down the target with one ball to spare.

Watch - Ashutosh Sharma Asks The Umpire To Declare It A wide

The incident occurred during the second delivery of the 18th over, bowled by Azmatullah Omarzai. Ashutosh Sharma hit a boundary off the delivery but later questioned whether it should have been called a wide.

If a batter hits the ball, it is not considered wide, regardless of its trajectory. A delivery can only be called wide if it passes the batter without touching the bat and is deemed too high or too wide for the batter to play a legitimate shot.

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In October last year, Ashutosh Sharma made headlines by breaking Yuvraj Singh's record for the fastest fifty by an Indian in T20s. The young batter achieved this milestone in just 11 balls while playing for the Railways against Arunachal Pradesh in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

Everyone Used To Consider Me A Slogger - Ashutosh Sharma

Ashutosh Sharma revealed the significant influence of Sanjay Bangar's guidance on his cricketing journey. Sharma expressed how Bangar's support helped him realize his potential beyond being stereotyped solely as a power hitter.

"I had a pretty good trial. I was about to go for another trial but was told to wait for another day. I thought let's wait and see maybe they told me to wait because they liked what they saw. So I left the trial of the other team and today I am with the Punjab Kings."

"I got a lot of confidence from Shikhar (Dhawan) Paaji and Sanjay sir right from the camp days. Everyone used to consider me a slogger, but Sanjay sir once told me, 'You aren't just a slogger. You play some extraordinary cricketing shots and you should focus on that.' That small statement gave me a lot of confidence and then I also scored a hundred on my Ranji Trophy debut," Ashutosh said.

The duration of Liam Livingstone's absence from the Kings' lineup remains uncertain, heightening the importance of players like Shashank Singh and Ashutosh in IPL 2024.

Also read: SRH vs CSK match on the verge of being called off due to this bizarre reason