Earlier in the match, Texas had opted to bat having won the toss and du Plessis was dismissed bizarrely off a Kagiso Rabada full-toss while attempting a scoop shot for eight runs.

Devon Conway top-scored for Texas for 74, taking them to a competitive 154. Mitchell Santner’s 13-ball 27 helped significantly as well.

Rabada and Trent Boult were the pick of the bowlers for New York as they ended with figures of 2-30 and 2-29 respectively off their four overs.

MI New York started poorly, losing Monank Patel in the second over. Shayan Jahangir and Steven Taylor then steadied proceedings. There were vital contributions from Nicholas Pooran and Rashid Khan as well, but it was Tim David who held the key to victory for them.

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David was batting on 24 off 18 balls before the last over began. With 21 to get against Daniel Sams, all hopes rested on David. But Sams was equally up to the task and deceived the big hitter with an off-cutter which was miscued high up in the air towards long on.

Du Plessis, who is a regular at the boundary down the ground, especially towards the back end of the innings, ran towards the ball and dived to his left at the very end, with David Miller standing at long-off in his eyeline.

He completed the catch to all but end MI New York’s chances. Sams ended up conceding just three runs off the last over and Texas won by 17 runs.

Watch Faf du Plessis take a brilliant diving catch off a skier to end Tim David’s innings and MI New York’s hopes:

FAF TAKES A BLINDER! 🫣

Is that the game? pic.twitter.com/oPn4m2fo7x

— Major League Cricket (@MLCricket) July 18, 2023