Top 3 relay catches in IPL history

The T20 format, especially the Indian Premier League (IPL), has witnessed many jaw-dropping moments since its inception, but relay catches often leave the spectators awestruck.

These catches look fascinating but are hard nuts to crack without practice. Teams especially look to have special fielding drills to master these relay catches, as these moments of brilliance can change the course of a game like no other.

Modern cricket requires astute fielding standards. Every saved run or every innovation and smartness on the field, like cutting the angles or preventing a six with acrobatic skills, have become crucial traits for modern-day cricket. Thus, the concept of relay catches came up, which players nowadays execute to perfection.

If you are still wondering what relay catches are, then these are the catches that are completed in partnership with a pair of fielders who ensure that the ball remains in play. Such fielding spectacles, usually seen near the boundary rope, require a high level of mental presence and efficient teamwork to be executed successfully.

In the ongoing IPL 2023, great teamwork from Dwayne Pretorius and Ruturaj Gaikwad dismissed the dangerous Tristan Stubbs in the 12th match of the tournament between MI and CSK.

Stubbs stepped down to smack Sisanda Magala's slower off-cutter but misjudged it completely and sliced it at long off. Pretorius took the catch over his head but lost his balance in the process. He lobbed the ball in the air while falling on the cushions, where Gaikwad was ready to grab it.

Here is a list of the three best relay catches taken by fielders in combination.

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#1 Tim Southee-Karun Nair relay catch

Tim Southee and Karun Nair combined well to take an excellent catch while fielding on the boundary lines during the game between Punjab (then Kings XI Punjab) and Rajasthan Royals in the first match of the 2015 IPL season.

Punjab needed 32 runs off the last seven balls to start their campaign on a winning note after being asked to chase down 163 runs. Captain George Bailey smoked James Faulkner's length ball towards the long-on fence.

The ball was on its way over the ropes until Southee plucked it out of thin air and popped it back into play.

Nair, who had made enough ground runs in from midwicket, demonstrated good judgment by cupping the ball with his right hand just inches above the turf to send Bailey back to the hut.

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#2 Shane Watson and David Wiese relay catch

Chasing a stiff target of 192 runs in an IPL 2016 game against hosts Royal Challengers Bangalore, Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) opener Shreyas Iyer had no option but to go berserk from the word go.

After dancing down the track, Iyer skied Sreenath Arvind's good-length ball. As the ball approached the long-on fence, Shane Watson (mid-on) and David Wiese (mid-off) approached it and made good ground before Watson caught it.

But as momentum carried him over the ropes, Watson threw the ball up towards Wiese.

The Namibian all-rounder leapt to full length after pacing a few steps to account for the trajectory of the ball and took a one-handed stunner while ensuring that no part of his body or gear touched the boundary rope.

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#3 Faf Du Plessis-Ravindra Jadeja relay catch

In the 21st match of IPL 2020, Sunil Narine smacked a loopy, fuller-length ball off Karn Sharma in the deep midwicket area. But little did he know that he was taking chances with arguably one of the best fielders of this generation, Ravindra Jadeja.

Diving parallel to his right at deep midwicket, Jadeja was about to hit the boundary ropes in the process of skidding after completing the catch when he tossed the ball to Faf Du Plessis. The former Proteas skipper ran in from a distance from long on to complete one of the best relay catches in IPL history.