"I'm definitely going to drink some more masala tea" - Faf du Plessis' amusing quip after DC snatch thriller vs LSG in IPL 2025

Delhi Capitals (DC) vice-captain Faf du Plessis believes that masala tea was the secret to the explosive finish by Ashutosh Sharma and Vipraj Nigam against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). The Axar Patel-led side made a victorious start to their 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) campaign with a last-over win at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Vishakapatnam on Monday, March 24.

Ashutosh Sharma and Vipraj Nigam dealt in sixes in the closing stages of the match, dragging DC back into the run chase out of nowhere. The pair struck a combined total of 17 boundaries to help DC chase down the 210-run target, recovering from 65-5 at one stage.

The pressure was on Ashutosh Sharma, the impact sub, after wickets fell from the other end in the death overs. The right-handed explosive batter scored three consecutive boundaries off Ravi Bishnoi in the 18th over to bring DC back into the contest and finished the penultimate over with consecutive boundaries too.

Faf du Plessis hailed the impact player rule following DC's comeback win and hopes to emulate his teammates' hitting ability with some masala tea.

"A lot of the cricketers, if you ask them, they would complain about the [Impact Player] rule in the IPL, but this is obviously why that rule is there - for games when you think that you're completely dead and buried, someone comes in and plays like that. I'm definitely going to drink some more masala tea to make sure I can hit the ball like the boys do at the end," du Plessis said during an interaction with the broadcasters at the end of the contest.

Ashutosh Sharma and Vipraj Nigam were involved in a 53-run partnership off just 22 deliveries for the seventh wicket.

"That's probably the best and most important single that Mohit Sharma has ever taken in his life" - Faf du Plessis

While Ashutosh Sharma made the required run rate obsolete with his sublime hitting, DC were losing too many wickets towards the end. After Kuldeep Yadav and Mitchell Starc were dismissed in quick succession, Mohit Sharma walked out as the last batter.

After Ashutosh Sharma finished the penultimate over with boundaries, it was the veteran bowler who was on strike. Mohit Sharma narrowly missed out on losing his wicket first ball to Shahbaz Ahmed after Rishabh Pant missed a stumping and the LBW appeal was denied.

However, the tail-ender was able to bring Sharma back on strike with a quick single off the very next delivery.

"Unbelievable, it actually reminded me a little bit of the 438 game against Australia when Makhaya [Ntini] got that important single towards the end. That's probably the best and most important single that Mohit Sharma has ever taken in his life - beautiful forward defence, just pushing it into the gap. What a story to get the big man back on strike to hit it for six," du Plessis said.

DC will next face the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the same venue on Sunday, March 30 in an afternoon fixture.