Dinesh Karthik, the Kolkata Knight Riders wicketkeeper, took a remarkable one-handed catch in their IPL 2020 match against Rajasthan Royals, leaving the batsman, Ben Stokes, visibly stunned by the grab.
Stokes, opening the batting, had breezed to 18 off his first ten balls when he tried to chase a Pat Cummins delivery pitched outside off. Delivered from round the wicket, it angled into him before moving a touch away, with the batsman attempting to drill it through the covers.
It carried a thick edge and flew behind him. Karthik, 35, leapt to his left, diving full stretch and plucked the ball with one hand with a remarkable leap. Stokes couldn’t believe his luck, standing with his hand on his waist, looking in astonishment.
“Brilliant, unbelievable,” commentator Simon Doull reacted on air. “He flew like he was a bird.”
Fans couldn’t help compare the catch to an equally spectacular grab that Karthik took in the slip cordon, during an India-South Africa game in the 2007 T20 World Cup.
Dinesh Karthik, Ind v SA WT20 2007 reloaded. #IPL
— Silly Point (@FarziCricketer) November 1, 2020
Dinesh Karthik at his best.!! #KKRvRR pic.twitter.com/cLDVpYMnRr
— Tanuj Singh (@ImTanujSingh) November 1, 2020
That catch by Dinesh Karthik to dismiss Stokes reminded one of the catch he took at second slip in the 2007 worldt20 to get rid off Graeme Smith off the bowling of RP Singh in Durban. #KKRvRR
— Nitin Naik (@toi_nitinnayak) November 1, 2020
Watch Karthik’s brilliant effort here:
A brilliant catch from Dinesh Karthik to send Ben Stokes on his way.#IPL2020pic.twitter.com/uIWYpbeP4Z
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) November 1, 2020
For those who cannot view the video due to restrictions, you can watch the catch on the official IPL website here.
