Most cricket lovers are at odds about whether batting and bowling in cricket have improved since the IPL came around. There are endless debates about how Bradman would have been the best T20 batter or Kohli would never have had so many centuries if he faced Shane Warne or Muttiah Muralitharan. However, one thing that anyone with any understanding of cricket agrees upon is that the art of fielding, especially catching, has improved drastically over the years.
Spectacular catches are taken in almost every match, but the most amazing ones can be seen in the Indian Premier League. The high-flying antics of the fittest, most agile athletes in cricket are a sight to watch for any sports fan. In this article, we’ll list our choices for the top 5 best catches in IPL history.
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IPL Best Catch – Ricky Ponting
Match: Mumbai Indians vs. Delhi Daredevils
Year: 2013
Number of Catches in IPL: 4
Unlike his illustrious career in every format of cricket on an international level, Ricky Ponting’s IPL career was pretty underwhelming. He only played four matches in 2008 and another 6 in 2013, averaging just over 10 with the bat with a miserable T20 strike rate of 71.09.
However, he still managed to make a mark during his short IPL career with one of the greatest catches of the tournament. Defending 209 against a strong batting lineup, Harbhajan Singh got opener Unmukt Chand to make an awkward leading edge towards mid-off. Ponting, 40 years old and fielding at the cover, leaped forward to take a one-handed screamer, making the best of what was barely a half-chance to give his team just the start it needed.
Best Catch in IPL – Tim Southee and Karun Nair
Match: Rajasthan Royals vs. Kings XI Punjab
Year: 2015
Number of Catches in IPL: Southee: 19, Nair: 22
An aspect of cricket that has gotten increasingly more frequent with the rising popularity of T20s, a relay catch is one of the fascinating things you can see on a cricket field. This one features two former Royals stars who aligned to make magic.
When KXIP’s George Bailey fired what looked like a six, the tall Southee caught the ball right over the rope. However, seeing he was about to go out of bounds, he managed to toss it back to a waiting Nair, who had to dive to capture the awkwardly-tossed ball. A six would have brought Punjab’s target into the realm of possibility, but thanks to their quick thinking, the pair all but won it for their team. James Faulkner got a wicket, and any chances Punjab had of a successful chase were diminished.
Top Catches in IPL – Trent Boult
Match: Delhi Daredevils vs. Royal Challengers Bangalore
Year: 2018
Number of Catches in IPL: 20
Usually known for his lethal deliveries, Trent Boult is a fine athlete who can often stun the cricketing with his amazing fielding. On this occasion, the catch didn’t quite change the course of the match, but it was an incredible feat nonetheless.
With 83 needed off 55, Virat Kohli whacked a full toss from Harshal Patel to deep square leg. However, to his horror, a waiting Trent Boult plucked it out of mid-air with an impeccably-timed 180° jump, remarkably managing to stay inside the ropes while also landing without the ball touching the ground. What makes it even more incredible is that he caught the ball with his off-hand. Place Bet on Cricket
IPL Spectacular Catches – AB de Villiers
Match: Delhi Daredevils vs. Royal Challengers Bangalore
Year: 2010
Number of Catches in IPL: 105
Unquestionably one of the greatest batters and fielders of all time, AB showed a glimpse of things to come way back in the third iteration of the IPL with this insane effort.
The Delhi Daredevils were already on the verge of victory, but when Praveen Kumar fired one-off of Umesh Yadav towards long-on, AB jumped to his fullest stretch, grabbed the ball, and, seemingly impossibly, landed within the boundary ropes to pin the game down and give the spectators something memorable to cherish. The legendary cricketer would go on to become one of the top 10 players with the most catches in the IPL.
IPL Top Catches – David Hussey
Match: Kolkata Knight Riders vs. Delhi Daredevils
Year: 2010
Number of Catches in IPL: 25
Arguably the greatest singular effort on the field in the history of the IPL, if not cricket itself, was David Hussey’s 2010 wonder catch against the Daredevils. The catch didn’t just define Hussey as a fielder – it redefined fielding on the fence.
At an important moment in the game, Paul Collingwood launched a relatively flat strike towards the boundary near Hussey. The latter went full stretch to slap the ball into the air, jumped over the boundary to grab it and toss it back while in mid-air, then quickly stepped back into the field to complete the catch – all within a matter of seconds. It was a ridiculous piece of fielding that remains etched into the minds of those who watched it live.
Closing Words
While you digest stories about all those fantastic catches, remember that you now have a better idea of the best catchers in the IPL, plus what positions these incredible efforts are made at.
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