Since the IPL started in 2008, there have been many amazing moments on the field. Here, we list our favorite top five catches ever.
5. Jofra Archer | Rajasthan Royals vs Mumbai Indians | 2020
Archer did really well in the cricket game. He bowled and batted amazingly, so he got a special award. But he also did something incredible while playing in the field.
Archer was standing at a position called third man. When the ball was hit towards him, he didn’t judge it correctly at first. He moved in the wrong direction. But then he realized his mistake and quickly moved back. He jumped up and stretched out his right hand.
Surprisingly, he caught the ball! His teammates couldn’t believe it and put their hands on their heads in shock.
But Archer didn’t seem too excited. He just walked calmly towards his happy teammates.
4. Ajinkya Rahane | Rajasthan Royals vs Pune Warriors India | 2012
Most catches happen because one person does something amazing. But sometimes, a catch is amazing because of teamwork.
In this catch, Rahane got the praise, but really, his teammate Johan Botha did most of the hard work. Botha sprinted towards the boundary and threw the ball to Rahane, who was far away.
Botha’s throw was perfect, and Rahane easily caught the ball to get the batter out.
At a tournament in 2020, Ravi Jadeja and Faf du Plessis also did a great teamwork catch.
3. AB de Villiers | Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Sunrisers Hyderabad | 2018
AB de Villiers is really good at cricket. He did something amazing during a match. His teammate, Virat Kohli, called it ‘freakish, Superman stuff.’
De Villiers was standing far away on the field. A player from the other team hit the ball towards him. De Villiers ran towards the ball and jumped up. He caught the ball with one hand just before it went out of bounds. He landed inside the field and threw the ball in excitement.
His teammates, especially Kohli, were very happy. They ran to him to celebrate.
2. Chris Lynn | Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bangalore | 2014
De Villiers is mentioned again as number two on this list, but this time he’s the one who got caught in an amazing way, not the one catching.
De Villiers hit the ball hard towards the boundary between midwicket and long-on, expecting to get at least four points.
But when Chris Lynn, the fielder chasing the ball, slipped, it seemed like de Villiers would score for sure.
However, Lynn managed to catch the ball while still in the air, and then twisted his body to avoid touching the boundary rope.
It was an amazing effort, one of the best catches ever seen in the IPL.
1. Kieron Pollard | Mumbai Indians vs Rajasthan Royals | 2014
This catch by Pollard is the best because it’s like two amazing catches in one.
Kevon Cooper, a batsman for the Royals team, hit the ball towards long-on. He probably thought he hit it well enough to score, but Pollard had a different plan.
Pollard jumped and caught the ball with his right hand while stretching as far as he could. He nearly fell over the boundary line but managed to throw the ball back into play before he did.
Then, Pollard quickly turned around, almost slipping, but he ran a few steps and dived to catch the ball with just one hand.
It took the umpire some time to check if it was a fair catch, but eventually, Cooper was declared out. This catch is now considered the best in the history of the IPL.
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