PremiumNZ vs AFG: WATCH Mitchell Santner pulls off 'catch of the tournament' to dismiss Hashmatullah Shahidi
Cricket enthusiasts flooded X (formerly known as Twitter) with praise, declaring this catch to be a strong contender for "Catch of the Tournament."
Last Updated: 07.39 PM, Oct 18, 2023
The 16th match of the ICC Men's ODI World Cup 2023 witnessed an extraordinary catch by New Zealand's Mitchell Santner, with fans dubbing it as the "catch of the tournament," during their clash with Afghanistan in Chennai. Afghanistan was chasing 289 runs after New Zealand's innings, and they lost three wickets at regular intervals.
The third wicket dismissal, however, featured a spectacular catch that even left the commentators expressing their joy. In the 13.6th over, Lockie Ferguson was bowling to Shahidi when Santner executed an exceptional catch. Ferguson charged in and delivered a sharply pitched short ball targeting Shahidi's middle and off. The ball bounced steeply, surprising Shahidi as he attempted a pull shot.
Shahidi got a top edge, sending the ball soaring towards square leg. Santner, backpedalling rapidly, maintained a sharp focus on the ball. With impeccable timing, he leapt into the air and snatched it with his left hand before landing gracefully on the ground. Despite the ball appearing as if it might elude his grasp, Santner's athleticism secured the catch.
Shortly after, cricket enthusiasts flooded X (formerly known as Twitter) with praise, declaring this catch to be a strong contender for "Catch of the Tournament."
In the game, Trent Boult and Matt Henry made early breakthroughs as Afghanistan lost their openers, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran, cheaply in their pursuit of 289 runs.
Earlier, Tom Latham and Glenn Phillips delivered respective half-centuries, contributing to New Zealand's imposing total of 288/6 in 50 overs. Latham scored 68(74), while Phillips smashed 71(80) before being dismissed by Naveen-ul-Haq in the same over. Mark Chapman also made a late cameo, striking 25 runs from 12 deliveries.
Mujeeb Ur Rahman gave Afghanistan a strong start with the ball, but the fielding showed a few lapses. Will Young and Rachin Ravindra received reprieves early in the innings, while Azmatullah Omarzai claimed two wickets in his first over, triggering a minor collapse.