Rajasthan Royals pacer Sandeep Sharma may not have enjoyed the best of nights with the ball in hand but his brilliant diving catch lit up the landmark 1,000th Indian Premier League (IPL) game at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday. Sandeep Sharma ran the best past of 19 metres and dove full stretch to take a catch over his shoulders to dismiss a dangerous-looking Suryakumar Yadav of Mumbai Indians in an IPL 2023 match.
In the 16th over of the match, Suryakumar went for a pull shot off Trent Boult and skied the ball towards fine-leg. Sandeep Sharma, who was fielding at short fine-leg, ran full tilt and picked up a brilliant diving catch over his shoulders to send back Suryakumar for a brilliant 55 off 29 balls with 61 still needed to win off 26 balls. The video of Sandeep Sharma’s catch soon went viral on social media.
WATCH Sandeep Sharma’s brilliant diving catch to dismiss Suryakumar Yadav HERE…
WHAT. A. CATCH! _
Spectacular effort from Sandeep Sharma to get the wicket of Suryakumar Yadav ____#MI need 43 off 18.
Follow the match __ https://t.co/trgeZNGiRY #IPL1000 | #TATAIPL | #MIvRR pic.twitter.com/0PVyi5z7SB
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 30, 2023
Sandeep Sharma’s catch have Sanju Samson’s Royals a big opportunity to win the match against MI but all-rounder’s Tim David’s sensational 45 off 14 balls ended their chances. Rohit Sharma’s side defeated the Royals by six wickets with three balls to spare, chasing down 213 to win after Yashasvi Jaiswal’s maiden century for the Royals.
“It was pleasing to see how we chased down the target. Last game too, we came close and we back ourselves to chase them down. So it was pleasing. Polly’s (Kieron Pollard) shoes are big to fill, but Tim has got a lot of ability and power. At the back end that helps and is good to have. The changes in the side are difficult, but sometimes you have to play the conditions and make calls based on compositions, so the players need to be prepared for that,” MI skipper Rohit Sharma said after the match.
MI captain was also pleased by Jofra Archer’s return to fitness and the pace shown by England fast bowler in the match against Royals. “Jofra’s had a massive injury, with bowlers we knew they need match practice. But his pace was a big positive and we thought SKY’s innings like that was around the corner,” he added.
On Mumbai batter Jaiswal, who scored 124 off 62 balls for the Royals, Rohit Sharma said, “I watched him last year, he’s taken it to the next level. I asked him ‘where did you get the power from’. He said he’s been going to the gym, that’s good for him, India and RR.”
