There are few sayings that never get old and 'catches win matches' is one adage that never ages.
That was proof on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, when Kolkata Knight Riders suffered a late batting collapse to lose their high-scoring Indian Premier League contest against Lucknow Super Giants by a mere four runs at the Eden Gardens.
Chasing 239, KKR slipped from 149 for two in 12 overs to 234/7 in 20 overs. Skipper Ajinkya Rahane top-scored with 61 off 35 balls with eight fours and two sixes.
Venkatesh Iyer contributed 45 and Rinku Singh smacked a late 15-ball 38 but their efforts were not enough.
And that LSG needed to win the thriller was hold onto their catches.
On a flat track that saw over 400 runs scored, KKR were off to a flyer but lost Quinton de Kock in just the third over.
With a mountain of runs to score Captain Ajinkya Rahane and Sunil Narine then went all guns blazing.
They were literally unstoppable until they were.
Mystery spinner Digvesh Rathi came face to face with his idol Sunil Narine for the first time in an IPL game.
Rathi dismissing Narine off that very first delivery, a top moment personally and more so for LSG.
Narine threw his bat at the googly but mistimed it, Aiden Markram kept in eyes on the ball, ran to his right and completed a good sliding catch to send back the West Indian for 30 off 18.
Breaking the 54-run partnership, Markram's catch was crucial as they came.
Markram was a busy man in the out field.
His pocketed his second catch of the evening when he comfortably held on to Ramandeep Singh's miscued shot at long-off.
At 166 for 4 in 14 overs, the catch helped swing the momentum in Lucknow's favour.
The South African then took his third catch to have the hosts in deep trouble.
They went from 162-2 to 177-6 in no time. Venkatesh Iyer was going at a good pace and even though three quick wickets fell at the other end, all he had to do was stay with Andre Russell and a win was assured for KKR.
However, that wasn't to be. Iyer, who had a hit a four off the previous delivery, went to whip the full ball anglng in, only to get a leading edge. The ball flew into the night sky and Markram ended Iyer's stay with a catch at long-on.
At 177 for 6, KKR had to get their veteran Andre Russell to muscle a few deliveries into the stands if KKR were to give their fans a happy end to their evening.
Off just his second ball, he muscled the ball into the crowds over deep square leg and ended the over with a single.
KKR will always favour themselves to be in the game with Russell at one end and Rinku Singh at the other. With 54 needed from 24 balls and 4 wickets in hand, KKR's batters had to go on the attack.
But coming in at No. 7, Russell was done in by the urgency of the situation.
The first ball of the 17th over, was a juicy full toss, Russell's eyes lit up but all he could do was miscue it towards long-off.
This time Markram's South African teammate David Miller obliged. Miller put in the slide and caught the ball inches from the ground. The catch turned out to be a major turning point -- Rinku couldn't get KKR across the finish line.
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