Nicholas Pooran reveals story of his greatest ever fielding effort

In Match Number 9 of the 2020 edition of the Indian Premier League, KL Rahul-led Punjab Kings (PBKS) were up against Sanju Samson’s Rajasthan Royals (RR) at Sharjah Cricket Stadium on September 27.

While the match is famous in cricket fans’ memories for RR all-rounder Rahul Tewatia’s five sixes in an over off Sheldon Cottrell, another famous incident that took place in that match was then PBKS batter Nicholas Pooran’s sensational fielding effort during which he went flying to save a six.

The incident happened on the third ball of the eighth over, which was bowled by PBKS spinner Murugan Ashwin.

RR skipper Sanju Samson and Steve Smith were at the crease as the Royals were chasing a 224-run target. Samson went for a big hit, and Pooran, who was fielding at deep mid-wicket, leapt full length over the rope to collect the ball.

He was stretching to the maximum possible and caught the ball with his left hand. And, a millisecond before falling onto the ground, he flicks the ball back into play.

It was an acrobatic effort on the field and former England captain Kevin Pieterson, who was on air, was heard saying,

“That’s the best I have seen.”

and,

And on Saturday (May 21), in a video shared by Sunrisers Hyderabad, which is Pooran’s current playing in the IPL, the newly appointed West Indies white-ball captain was heard revealing the story behind one of the greatest ever fielding efforts.

The 26-year-old said, “To be honest, Sanju (Samson) and whoever was batting was only hitting sixes. I was like, let me try to stop one. Just seeing the ball going and going, and I said let me try to reach this. I just dived because we were practicing it with Jonty (Rhodes). I just dived, and I stretched, and it stuck in my hand.

“I have no idea how I threw it back that fast. I remember when I threw it back, Maxi (Glenn Maxwell) was like, ‘Mate, I think that’s six, yeah.’ And then we looked at the screen, and he was like, ‘Mate, that’s so brilliant!’ It was so funny, I was like, ‘Where were you?’ Now, I am thinking I could have thrown it to him.”

“So, even when I looked at that, I was like, ‘Goodness, I’m flying!’ After when it went trending, I have looked at it probably a million times. Even now when I look at it, I can’t look at it just once. I still don’t even know how I did that! Good hands, yeah?” he said recalling that effort.

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In the 2020 edition of the IPL, Pooran finished as the third highest run getter for the Mohali-based side. In 14 matches, he scored 353 runs at an average of 35.30 and a strike rate close to 170.