We will take a look at the great catches in IPL over the years. There is an age old saying in cricket: Catches win matches.As clichd as it seems, it ultimately is the truth. A batsman can score a brilliant hundred, but it might be one crucial catch that could turn the game on its head. One single moment of brilliance can strangle the opposition team and let it stride towards a losing position.Over the years we have seen some of the best fielders in the world in the likes of Mark Waugh, Jonty Rhodes, etc. But, as the years passed by, these legends have left the game cricket, and now it is being ruled by a new era of players who are equally good and capable of splitting a game wide open with their brilliant catches.IPL has seen its fair share of stunning catches. Here are 5 of the best catches ever to have been taken in an IPL match.
#5 Ajinkya Rahane and Johan Botha
This catch gets into this list mainly due to the unbelievable team play of Ajinkya Rahane and Johan Botha. Rahul Sharma had lofted the ball to long off, which ended up in the hands of Rahane who was over the boundary rope in mid-air. With his spectacular presence of mind, he threw the ball back into the hands of Botha who was at least 3-4 metres away from him.
#4 Ab de Villiers
Praveen Kumar skies the ball into the path of the boundary. Ab de Villiers probably had misjudged the ball and came too forward. But he did not make any mistake as he spectacularly dived backwards towards the boundary line to dismiss an astonished looking Praveen. It was a remarkable catch considering how he made up for the misjudgment.
You can watch the video here
#3 David Hussey
This catch finds its place for David Hussey’s awesome presence of mind.
Paul Collingwood had smashed a ball towards long on. It was going past David who tried to stop the ball in mid-air with his first touch, then with his second touch he palmed the ball that had crossed the boundary in air back into the field, to finally dive forward and complete an awesome catch.
You can watch the video here
#2 Chris Lynn
Fresh in the minds of all IPL fans, this Lynn catch to dismiss Ab de Villiers would go down as the perfect example for the saying ‘catches win matches’. De Villiers was single handedly taking the Royal Challengers Bangalore to a win against Kolkata Knight Riders when he skied a ball, in the final over, towards the path of Lynn standing near the boundary.
Lynn slipped in the beginning but recovered well to set himself to take one of the most spectacular catches in IPL history.
In this video we see a cartoonic depiction of the catch. The original video can be found here.
#1 Kieron Pollard
Pollard, at long on, first jumps high in the air to pluck the ball with his right hand; then, he loses his balance and throws the ball into the field, only to turn in time and leap forward in vintage Jonty Rhodes style to dismiss Kevon Cooper.
This catch gets its place as the best as it equates to two splendid catches. Take a bow, Kieron Pollard.
The video of the catch can be seen here.
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