Aiden Markram's 5 superhuman catches

In SA20, SunRisers Eastern Cape skipper Aiden Markram stole the limelight when he plucked a one-handed catch out of thin air to provide a brilliant moment in the tournament.

The moment came in SA20 Qualifier 1 between the Durban Super Giants (DSG) and SunRisers Eastern Cape (SEC). It was when DSG batsman JJ Smuts tried to pull the back-of-length delivery from Ottniel Baartman. Smuts appeared to have mistimed his stroke but it seemed like it would clear Markram at mid-on regardless.

It was then that the magic happened. Markram swiftly moved to his left, leaping into the air to execute a one-handed stunner to dismiss Smuts.

It's not the first time Aiden Markram has displayed such acrobatics on the field. With his agility and fitness, Markram has completed many improbable catches in his career so far.

In this article, we will look at some of Aiden Markram's outrageous gravity-defying catches.

Aiden Markram's 5 superhuman catches

#5. David Warner's catch at covers, Johannesburg, 2023

After bailing out South Africa with a well-scored 93, Markram contributed with his fielding in the series decider at Johannesburg in the 2023 ODI series between Australia and South Africa.

Chasing 316 runs, Australia were off to a flier, with Mitchell Marsh and David Warner adding 34 runs in the first three overs.

Marco Jansen bowled a short of good length delivery marginally outside off to Warner, who cut it hard. The ball flew to the region where Aiden Markram was stationed and was losing height rapidly. Markram had to time his jump perfectly to make sure that ball didn't fall in front of him and sent Warner packing.

#4. Ishan Kishan's catch at extra cover, Hyderabad, IPL 2023

After a flying start for the Mumbai Indians by openers Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan, SRH bowlers kept the run-rate in check with some tidy bowling in the IPL 2023 encounter between the two teams.

Pressure was mounting on Kishan, who had consumed 30 balls for his 38 runs and was soo seen trying to break the shackles.

In the 12th over, he came down the track to whack a short ball by Marco Jansen, only to end up slicing it into the air to extra-cover.

Aiden Markram ran back from mid-off, moved to his right, and outstretched his hands to complete a stupendous catch.

#3. Steven Smith's catch at long-off, Abu Dhabi, ICC T20 World Cup 2020

It was nothing short of a miraculous catch from Aiden Markram to dismiss Australian batsman Steven Smith in a low-scoring thriller in the T20 World Cup opening match.

Smith falted a short pitch ball from Anrich Nortje but ended up getting top-edged to the no man's land between the long-off and cow's corner regions.

Markram spotted it early and ran across from long-off to take a brilliant running catch to end Smith's innings and bring South Africa back into the game.

#2. Hardik Pandya's catch at extra cover, Johannesburg, 2018

Aiden Markram took a screamer of a catch to dismiss Hardik Pandya in the fourth ODI between India and South Africa in 2018 in Johannesburg.

In the 47th over, Pandya, deep in his crease, carved out a full-angled ball from Kagiso Rabada to the extra-cover region, and it seemed like the ball would sail over Markram in that position.

But the fielder moved slightly right and jumped to perfection to pluck one hell of a catch to end Pandya's stay at the crease.

#1. Nitish Rana's catch at Longon, Hyderabad, IPL 2023

KKR skipper for IPL 2023, Nitish Rana, was looking in ominous touch on a two-paced surface against SRH, and it seemed like he would run away with the match.

But SRH skipper Markram had his plans up his sleeves. He brought himself in the 12th over to bowl his off-spin against two left-handers, Rana and Rinku Singh.

Markram slowed down his pace and bolted an outside off-break delivery, which spun away from Rana, who slog-swept to take a top-edge to the long-on.

Despite two fielders converging towards the catch, Markram called for it and threw his body in the air to complete one of the best catches of IPL 2023.