The current crops of cricketers go through intense fitness regimes which helps them turn ‘great efforts’ into sensational catches. They don’t shy away from throwing their bodies in the air just to keep the hold of the ball or pin pointedly, to keep hold of the match.
The year 2017 saw some exceptional catches been taken across the international circuit, cash-rich T20 leagues and domestic arena. As we approach the end of another entertaining year, we bring you a collection of extraordinary catches which left everyone speechless.
Flying Pandya
Hailed as one of the best all-rounders in present-day cricket, Hardik Pandya showed exactly how crucial a catch could be in terms of the outcome of the match.
The visiting New Zealand side was chasing a mammoth 203 in the first T20 encounter at the Feroze Shah Kotla in New Delhi in November. They needed their most experienced player, Martin Guptill to go all guns blazing to achieve the target.
It took just three deliveries for the Kiwi batsman to go for a lofted shot on Chahal’s delivery. The dangerous Guptill failed to connect the ball. Pandya, who was stationed a bit wider than the long-off sprinted towards his right and took a flight to grab an absolute stunner.
This catch is something you can watch again and again and still feel the spine shiver and the hairs on the back of the neck do a little dance.
‘Faster than Bolt’
New Zealand pacer Trent Boult put his athleticism on the show with a one-hand stunner to dismiss Windies batsman Shimron Hetmyer during the second Test match at Hamilton in December.
Hetmyer, who was looking aggressive, lobbed the ball back to Boult. The pacer wasted no time with a gravity-defying dive to send the batsman packing and added another to his collection of classic catches.
Grab it like Stokes
England all-rounder Ben Stokes’ one-handed stunner will go down as one of the best catches in cricket history.
South Africa batsman AB de Villiers danced down the track in an attempt to smash England spinner Moeen Ali for a maximum but Stokes had some other plans.
Running round the long-on boundary, the 25-year-old managed to hold the ball which looked certain to cross the boundary line.
Wriddhiman or Superman?
Wicket-keeper Wriddhiman Saha has been a perfect replacement for MS Dhoni in India whites. Be it with the bat or behind the stumps, Saha leaves no stones unturned to surprise the cricketing fraternity.
The 32-year-old was at his brutal best as he flung in the air like a superman to dismiss Australia’s Steve O’keefe and complete one of the sensational catch of recent time.
His outstanding effort also put a full stop on the heated debate over India’s best keeper in Tests.
Incredible Raina
On a day when Samuel Badree and Andrew Tye grabbed headlines with Hattricks and Kieron Pollard eased Mumbai Indians to victory against Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL 2017, Gujarat Lions’ skipper Suresh Raina took a sensational catch to shift the limelight.
During a match against Rising Pune Supergiant, the Gujarat Lions skipper Suresh Raina, who was stationed in the slip, took a spectacular catch to send Ajinkya Rahane packing.
Raina seemed in no position to take the catch when ball edged Rahane’s bat. Off-balanced and heading in the wrong direction, Raina managed to get hold of the ball with faster than bullet reaction to hand RPS an early shock.