Watch: Nicholas Pooran defied logic and physics with one of the best ever fielding efforts cricket has witnessed.

With the relentless churn of cricket played worldwide, whether international or in myriad T20 leagues, the extraordinary can become blasé and it can feel like the game has lost its capacity to surprise. What’s another huge six, inch-perfect yorker, or boundary relay catch when you’ve seen plenty already before?

That jadedness only makes something like Nicholas Pooran’s boundary save against Rajasthan Royals, the kind of act that truly beggars belief, that gets better on every rewatch, that feels like nothing that’s ever been done before, all the more special.

The moment came on the third ball of the seventh over, bowled by Murugan Ashwin. Sanju Samson pulled high into the Sharjah sky, not getting all of the ball, but on a ground with small boundaries, it looked like six all the way. With Pooran on the fence, however, the playing area becomes slightly bigger. He dove, full stretch, catching the ball when it was closer to the hoardings than the rope, before releasing it back into the field of play.

In full speed it was good, but the slo-mo was even better, revealing the perfect intricate sequence of movements needed to pull off the spectacular, any one of which even slightly malfunctioning would have seen the attempt go awry and six runs awarded. Kevin Pietersen, on commentary, was in no doubt: “No way. No way! NO WAY! That is unbelievable! The best save in T20 cricket ever. That’s the best I’ve seen.”

Still none of the above will prepare you for watching it. So cancel your evening plans, sit back and let it loop. This one will never get old.

The best piece of fielding… ever?pic.twitter.com/j7J5U6c7ox

— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) September 27, 2020

If it’s geoblocked for you, you can watch the catch on the official IPL website.