Watch: Abdullah Shafique took a one-handed blinder at short leg to dismiss Sadeera Samarawickrama, a result of closely watching the ball as he moved from left to right in one motion, on day four of the Galle Test.

Shafique bettered Babar Azam’s excellent take to send back Angelo Mathews when he sent back Samarawickrama with an alert catch on Wednesday (July 19). The fifth ball of the 56th over by Agha Salman saw Samarawickrama step down the pitch, but he only managed an inside edge towards short leg. Shafique tracked the ball and moved to his left as the batter stepped out and played outside his crease, but the inside edge meant that the ball went to Shafique’s right side.

The ball managed to stick in Shafique’s right hand as he completed an outstanding take.

Sri Lanka were 175-6 after the fall of his wicket, with Samarawickrama making a run-a-ball 11.

Watch the catch by Abdullah Shafique here:

This is pure sorcery. ft Abdullah Shafique. pic.twitter.com/LRTn987DXr

— Shafqat Shabbir (@Chefkat23) July 19, 2023