ABU DHABI: Rajasthan Royals (RR) produced a couple of sensational catches against Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) to keep the total below the 200-run mark and allowed their batsmen to chase down the target and stay in hunt for the play-offs.
All-rounder Ben Stokes dived to catch the ball at point to dismiss Mandeep Singh after it looked like it will fall safely on the ground. The catch enabled RR on Friday to take an early wicket, in the very first over.
Then Rahul Tewatia plucked one out of thin air at the boundary rope. KXIP’s Nicholas Pooran, who looked good enough to steal the game from RR and was batting on 22 off nine balls at the time, had to return after Tewatia leapt a bit to stall a six with the catch.
“Stokes’s catch was important as an early wicket, especially off a good catch gives confidence,” said Tewatia in the post match press conference.
“As for my catch, I was staying on the boundary line because they were looking at sixes only and the ball was flying. I managed to jump at the right time, so the catch was taken,” he added.
Tewatia added that the team has worked hard on fielding in the practice sessions and is showing intent in fielding.
“We have to show intent in fielding and this is the talk that has been going on. We needed to show confidence in fielding, because fielding depends on confidence,” said Tewatia. “We were working hard on fielding in practice sessions.”