CPL: Gayle's power and the 'best ever' catch gets St Kitts over the line

Photo: CPL

New Delhi: There are difficult catches, there are outstanding catches, and there are match changing catches. But rarely comes a catch that falls into all three of those categories – Fabian Allen’s catch at deep point in Caribbean Premiere League T20 was one of those rare ones.

Guyana Amazon Warriors needed just 31 runs off 24 balls with 7 wickets in hand and a well settled Jason Mohammed on strike. Guyana would have fancied their chances to come out on the winning side despite the slow nature of the Lauderhill pitch in Florida. But a certain substitute fielder, Allen suddenly decided to defy gravity and pull off a circus-like stunt to send Mohammed back to pavilion and start a slide, from which Guyana never really recovered. In the end they fell short by 4 runs, losing another 4 wickets in quick succession.

Let’s take you back to what transpired in the first delivery of the 17th over of Guyana innings. Pakistan’s Hasan Ali dished it out wide outside off the stump and Mohammed, middling most until that one, just sliced it. Allen, standing at deep point ran 6-7 yards to his left and let his body flow in the air to pluck a one-handed stunner. No wonder, Ian Bishop described it as the best he had ever seen. 

In case you missed it, the catch that @irbishi described as the best he has ever seen... #CPL17 pic.twitter.com/Ni0KHM3kHV

— CPL T20 (@CPL) August 7, 2017

Before that mind boggling catch, Chris Gayle, who was only the batsman who looked in full control on a difficult pitch, smashed 66 off 54 balls to St Kitt sand Navis Patriots’ innings to a respectable 132 for 3 at the end of 20 overs.

In reply, Guyana looked in control till the 16th over. Credit must be given to West Indies T20 captain Carlos Brathwaite, who held his nerve and bowled a superb last over by conceding only 1 run and picking up a wicket (another 2 were run outs) to close out the match for St Kitts.