In the case of T20 cricket, the adage ‘Catches win Matches’, rings true. In this fast-paced playing format, along with making runs, fielding also makes a huge impact on the result of the matches. Since the tournament’s inception, there have been many ‘Best of’ moments. However, the catches in these seasons have been the most memorable ones. These wickets have also put the teams in a make or break situation when it comes to their IPL ranking. There have been many excellent catches taken on the boundary lines and the 30-yard circle in the tournament. When the scales in the game starts tipping for the batsmen, the fielders have to give much-needed support to the bowlers.
Here we bring you some of the most memorable catches in IPL cricket. While some might have helped in the IPL team ranking, others have become the best catches in the tournaments so far. Check them out below.
Chris Lynn for Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bangalore (2014)
AB De Villiers is usually the maker of the best moment in the matches. Nevertheless, in 2014 he was at the opposite end of it. Batting between the mid-wickets and set to make at least a four, AB De Villiers meets the fielder Chris Lyn in pursuit. When Chris loses his footing, scoring a 4 seems promising. However, the explosive Australian Batsman Chris manages to dismiss AB De Villiers by regaining his footing, catching the ball and then leaning his body to avoid the boundary rope. Along with his performance, this breath-taking catch made him the man of the match.
Trent Boult for Delhi Daredevils vs Royal Challengers Bangalore (2018)
Trent Boult the left-arm seamer has always been a safe fielder. In the 2018 match against RCB, Harshal Patel bowled a full toss on the pads. Virat Kohli retaliated by clipping the ball from the legs in the air. While it seemed like going for a six, Trent Boult pulled a stunner by jumping in the air at the perfect time and plucking the ball from reaching out of the boundary. This is one catch worth watching on repeat.
AB De Villiers for Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Sunrisers Hyderabad (2018)
No ‘Best of’ list is complete without the stunner, AB de Villiers. As Alex Hales pulled a short ball from Moeen Ali, AB De Villiers was fielding at the deep midwicket. Springing into action and running around the boundary, De Villiers jumped to his right and threw out his right hand to pluck the ball out of the air, which was almost beyond the boundary. As Virat Kohli called it some ‘freakish Superman stuff’ and he was right!
Jofra Archer for Rajasthan Royals vs Mumbai Indians (2020)
Along with Jofra Archer’s win as the Most Valuable Player for the 2020 IPL, he also gave us an unforgettable moment on the field. Initially misjudging the flight of the ball off Ishan Kishan’s bat, Jofra quickly realised his mistake. He started backtracking to the boundary at speed, then leaping and grabbing the ball from his right hand. A one-hand catch! While his team was in awe, Jofra seemed cool and unperturbed. Is there anything Jofra Archer cannot do on the field?
