KKR's dominant win over RCB wasn't without its shortcomings.
Despite securing a convincing victory, their fielding performance was a mixed bag. Dropped catches, particularly Glenn Maxwell on two occasions, exposed vulnerabilities that could have proven costly if he had capitalised further.
There were also missed runout opportunities that could have tightened KKR's grip on the match earlier.
However, it wasn't all negative on the fielding front. There were moments where exceptional athleticism stole the limelight.
Some of the best fielding moments from the Kolkata Knight Riders-Royal Challengers Bengaluru match on Friday, March 29:
Starc Shines
RCB's chase got off to a shaky start as Skipper Faf du Plessis fell victim to an off-cutter from Harshit Rana.
Opting for a risky scoop shot off a slower off-cutter from Rana, du Plessis only managed a weak chip that flew straight into the waiting hands of Mitchell Starc at short fine leg.
Rinku Takes Two!
Rinku Singh emerged as a defensive hero for KKR, claiming two crucial catches in quick succession.
First, in the 15th over, Glenn Maxwell's frustration boiled over after miscuing a slash against Sunil Narine. The thick top edge flew towards sweeper cover, where Rinku covered good ground and secured a comfortable catch. Rinku celebrated with a kiss of the ball, highlighting the significance of the dismissal.
Rinku wasn't done yet. In the 17th over, he snagged another important wicket. This time, it was Rajat Patidar who fell victim to a slower off-cutter from Narine. Patidar's well-executed pull shot found Rinku stationed perfectly at deep mid-wicket, resulting in a straightforward catch. With this dismissal, Rinku effectively shut down another scoring threat for RCB.
Salt's Stellar Fielding
Salt showcased his exceptional fielding skills with two crucial moments in the latter stages of the RCB innings.
In the 18th over, Salt displayed superb anticipation and agility to dismiss Anuj Rawat. Rawat, attempting a shot over the off-side, miscued a full off-cutter, sending the ball flying low towards the wicket-keeper. Salt, diving low, pouched the catch, sending Rawat back.
Later, off the final delivery of the innings, Salt's quick thinking and accurate throw combined to dismiss Dinesh Karthik.
With DK and Kohli looking to steal a bye, Salt, positioned behind the stumps, whipped off a lightning fast underarm throw and hit the wickets directly.
Green's Crucial Catch
Vijaykumar Vyshak justified his selection with an immediate impact, dismissing Salt in the 8th over. Vyshak's in-swinger induced a miscued pull shot from Salt, sending the ball skyward.
Credit to Faf's astute planning, as the fielder positioned perfectly for this scenario was Cameron Green at deep square leg.
Green showcased his athleticism with a smooth movement to his left, completing a comfortable catch to hand RCB a much-needed early breakthrough.
KKR Vs RCB: Who Took The Best Catch?<?p>
