Axar Patel was everywhere for the Delhi Capitals in their narrow win over Gujarat Titans.
He not only chipped in with a valuable 66 runs with the bat, but also showcased his exceptional fielding skills, taking three crucial catches.
A look at the best catches at the Arun Jaitley stadium, April 24, 2024:
Axar Patel
Early on, Axar snagged a simple catch at mid off to dismiss Gujarat's skipper, Shubman Gill, off Anrich Nortje's bowling. This dismissal set the tone for Delhi's bowling attack.
Later, Axar produced a sensational leaping catch to send Wriddhiman Saha packing. This spectacular effort, his 100th IPL catch, came at a crucial juncture, derailing Gujarat's chase.
Axar's fielding brilliance continued as he pouched another catch at long off to dismiss Sai Sudharsan. The left-hander, who was threatening to take the game away with his blistering knock, mistimed a shot that found Axar's safe hands.
Axar's all-around performance, with his contributions with the bat and in the field, proved to be a major factor in Delhi Capitals' hard-fought victory.
Jake Fraser-McGurk
After a blazing cameo with the bat, Fraser-McGurk proved the spark on the field as well. The Aussie youngster took a diving catch to dismiss Azmatullah Omarzai, who attempted the slog sweep against Axar Patel.
Fraser-McGurk was quick off the blocks as he charged in from deep mid wicket. At one stage it looked the ball would fall short, but Fraser-McGurk lunged forward and got his fingers underneath the ball in the nick of time to complete the catch.
Noor Ahmad
Noor Ahmad took a good catch to earn the Titans their first wicket of the match.
It turned out to be an important as Fraser-McGurk smashed 23 from 14 balls. But he mistimed his cross-batted heave, hitting it uppishly towards deep square leg where Ahmad pouched the catch with the reverse cup, in the fourth over.
A few balls later, Ahmad took a superb diving catch in the deep to get Prithvi Shaw for 11. The DC opener was not in control of the pull shot off Sandeep Warrier as the ball flew towards deep square leg with Ahmad rushing in from the deep before he put in the forward dive to take the ball inches from the ground. The television umpire had a check before ruling that Ahmad had his fingers underneath the ball.
Rashid Khan
Rashid was not to be left behind.
Rashid, who dropped Jake Fraser-McGurk in the first over, made up for that lapse as he took a fine to send back Shai Hope. The West Indian became Sandeep Warrier's third victim as he drove the pacer uppishly over point but couldn't get it in the gap and Rashid made good ground from the deep before diving forward to take the sharp chance, in the sixth over.
DC Vs GT: Who Took The Best Catch?
