The fielding standards in the cricketing world are getting higher and higher every day. One of the many reasons behind the same is the rise of T20 leagues around the world. In the shortest format of the game, teams are very particular about each and every run as that can potentially become the difference between winning and losing the match.
Even in the IPL 2023 afternoon fixture on Saturday between the Royal Challengers Bangalore and the Rajasthan Royals at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore, Yashasvi Jaiswal produced a brilliant fielding effort that helped Rajasthan make a comeback of sorts in the latter half of their bowling innings. Notably, Rajasthan had won the toss and elected to bowl first. Trent Boult also provided the Men in Pink with a couple of early wickets.
However, post that the period of play, the next phase completely belonged to the home team in which Faf du Plessis and Glenn Maxwell scored half-centuries and put on 127 runs off 66 balls for the second wicket. The two looked unlikely to get separated the way they were going but it took a special effort in the field from Jaiswal to break the partnership.
Jaiswal, who was stationed at extra cover, took no time after the ball had reached him quickly, got up and threw the ball in quick motion hitting the stumps direct to catch the South African short of his crease at 62 off 39 balls. The wicket led to the opening of floodgates and wickets started falling in regular interval for them and despite being 139/1 in 13.1 overs at one stage, they ended up at 189/9.
The video of the fielding effort from Jaiswal has gone viral.
After the ongoing match in Bangalore, yet another IPL 2023 fixture will get underway later this evening with Kolkata Knight Riders taking on the Chennai Super Kings in Kolkata.