Fielding might not be the flashiest play on the field but they sure win matches. In a match with high stakes, every single run on the board is important. This is where fielding comes into the picture, giving it your all to save even a single run – that is what fielding is all about. Fielding requires a player to be physically fit and have the stamina to keep running around. Batting and bowling are important, no doubt however field cannot be neglected.
Fielding is both offense and defense, you can field to catch an airborne ball to get the batter out or to get them run out (offensive) and it can be done to limit the number of runs that can be scored by the opposition. In a game where batsmen and bowlers are worshipped and are role models, fielders are rarely appreciated. The rush of adrenaline that one gets from an athletic display of fielding is unreal, the hype when a six gets converted into an out, the moment a fielder snatches the joy of a six and converts it into a nightmare and changes the momentum is how fielding can change the outcome of a match.
One of the most famous examples is during a match between South Africa and Australia in the World Cup of 1999. It was the final match of the super six and Steve Waugh entered the crease, he was batting well and gave a simple catch to Herschelle Gibbs who dropped it, later Waugh told him that he had just lost the match for South Africa and it turned out to be true as Waugh went on to score 120 off 110 balls and won the match for Australia.
So, let’s have a look at some of the most jaw-dropping catches in cricket history.
- Kapil Dev’s stunner of the 1983 World Cup: Easily one of the best moments of Indian cricket etched in the minds of Indian cricket fans, this was a memorable one because no one was expecting India to even reach the semi-finals. Viv Richards was one of the most feared batsmen on the West Indian line-up and it took a spectacular catch to send him back to the Pavilion. It took Kapil Dev running backward to take this stunning catch. This catch changed the match as after sending Viv Richards back, the rest of the batting line-up fell soon after the other.
- Sreesanth’s catch in the 2007 T-20 World Cup: Another memorable catch would be the one by Sreesanth during the T-20 World Cup, it might not be the most athletic one off this list but it was instrumental in India winning the Cup that year. It was the final between the fated rivals, India and Pakistan and it was a nail-biting finish. Pakistan needed a boundary to win and this catch was catastrophic. The batsman played an unorthodox shot with a scoop and sent it straight to the safe hands of Sreesanth.
- Ben Stokes’ catch in the 2019 World Cup: The most recent World Cup has shown us some amazing displays of fielding. Ben Stokes is a brilliant all-rounder who excels in all departments of bowling, batting, and fielding. During a group stage match between England and South Africa, Ben Stokes took a brilliant one-handed catch to send back Andile Phehlukwayo.
- Chris Lynn’s acrobatic catch to dismiss AB de Villiers: One of the classics of IPL 2014, Chris Lynn jumps backward to take an amazing and memorable catch that shattered the remaining spirit of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), AB De Villiers was on the strike and they needed 6off the remaining 3 balls and he tried to finish it off with a long shot off the ball but Lynn did well to stabilize himself even though he slipped a few moments ago. He jumped backward and made sure to keep a distance between himself and the boundary line.
- Kieron Pollard’s catch in IPL 2014: When it comes to stunning catches, Kieron Pollard is no stranger to them. His one-handed catches have earned him a reputation for not missing a simple catch. Many of his catches involve jumping over the boundary lines, one-hand catches, and jumping back over the ropes. This catch was in the IPL edition of 2014, Mumbai Indians were playing against Rajasthan Royals and Kevin Cooper had slammed a huge one that was near the ropes. Pollard did well to catch with one hand but he was already over the ropes so he threw it across without touching the boundary and managed to jump back in and catch it again with a single hand too.
- Harleen Deol’s catch against England: While talking about women’s cricket, it would be a crime not to mention this spectacular catch. While India was playing against England, Amy Ellen Jones went for a six however Harleen caught and threw it over the boundary and reached back just in time to complete the catch by jumping back in again. Her catch was viral on various social media platforms in slow motion. People got very excited about women’s cricket and wanted to know about India women cricket schedule.
- Smriti Mandhana’s spectacular catch against England: This catch in 2021 was one of the most acrobatic catches in women’s cricket. England’s Natalie Sciver was just one run short of a half-century and played a shot to the boundaries and attempted to complete the milestone with style however it was thwarted by a running Smriti Mandhana who jumped to her left to make a full-length dive and caught the ball safely.
- Evin Lewis’ one-handed catch: One of IPL 2022’s best catches, Evin Lewis took a one-handed catch to dismiss Rinku Singh in a high-pressure and high-stakes match. KKR needed just 3 runs in just 2 balls and Evin Lewis wasn’t in a good position to take the catch anyways but stuck his hand out and the catch was taken wonderfully.
Conclusion: Be it a simple catch at a crucial time or an impossible one, catches do change the momentum of a match and are as important of a skill as batting and bowling. There are many other countless breath-taking catches however these catches which are mentioned are the ones with the most hype among the fans.
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