Mohali, Sep 16 (IANS) Abhishek Sharma's influence on the Amritsar Soormas extended beyond his performances during the Sher-E-Punjab T20 League, as opener Sahaj Dhawan revealed that the India all-rounder encouraged the team to express themselves freely and attack the bowlers.

Dhawan’s approach proved effective as Soormas defeated Ludhiana Lions by eight wickets at the I.S. Bindra Stadium in Mohali on Sunday to claim the league title.

“When you share the dressing room with a player like Abhishek Sharma, you obviously learn a lot. He helped create an atmosphere where everyone was encouraged to express themselves and play with an open mind. There were no second thoughts; the message was to go out and play our shots and take on the bowlers,” he said.

That mindset was particularly evident in the final, where Dhawan played his part in steering Amritsar through a chase after Ludhiana were restricted to a manageable total. With rain having affected conditions earlier in the day, Soormas decided to make the most of winning the toss and put themselves in a favourable position.

“The wicket was a little damp because it had rained earlier in the day. Winning the toss was a plus point for us, so our plan was to restrict them to a manageable total,” he stated.

Amritsar’s chase was not entirely without setbacks. Early dismissals of Naman and Jashan put the pressure back on the batting side, but Dhawan said the dressing-room instructions were clear: avoid panic, spend time at the crease and finish the job.

“When we went out to bat, my plan was to play with an open mind. I got a few boundaries early on, but then Naman and Jashan got out. The message from the dressing room was to stay till the end. They told us to take our time. We just had to complete the match, and thankfully, we did that and got the win,” he added.

Dhawan’s partnership with Naman Dhir also carries a history that predates their title-winning campaign. The two cricketers hail from Faridkot and have been playing together since their Under-14 days, a connection that has translated into a close relationship on and off the field.

“First of all, Naman is my brother. We started playing cricket together when we were in the Under-14 age group. He is from Faridkot and I am also from there, so our bonding is very good,” Dhawan said.

For Dhawan, that familiarity has also meant having someone willing to offer an honest assessment during matches, even when it involves questioning his shot selection.

“He is like my big brother. Even during matches, he would tell me if I was doing something wrong, like asking why I was playing a certain shot from outside. We have been playing together for a long time, so that relationship makes our bonding special,” he concluded.

--IANS

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