Indian cricketer Suryakumar Yadav has defended his crucial catch of David Miller in the final over of the T20 World Cup final, asserting he did not touch the boundary rope despite social media videos suggesting otherwise.
The catch played a key role in India’s victory over South Africa in Barbados, with Yadav emphasising that he was fully aware of his positioning.
“When I pushed the ball and took the catch, I knew I hadn’t touched the rope,” Yadav said while talking to media.
Yadav explained the situation, noting that normally Rohit Sharma does not field at long-on.
“Rohit bhai was there, and we exchanged a look. I ran for the catch, and my only aim was to secure it. Had Rohit been closer, I would have thrown the ball towards him, but he wasn’t,” he said.
Reflecting on the moment, Yadav admitted that if the ball had gone for six, the match could have been much tighter. “If the ball had gone for six, the equation would have been five balls, ten runs. We might have still won, but the margin would have been closer,” he noted.
Yadav attributed his performance to rigorous practice sessions.
“Our fielding coach T Dilip introduced a fielding medal after each match, which motivates us to give our best. The catch I took is something I’ve practised at different grounds depending on the wind,” he said.
He highlighted the importance of these practice sessions, particularly those held the day before the game.
“We do a quality fielding session with more than ten high catches, flat catches, direct hits, and slip catching. Yesterday’s catch was the reward of the hard work done over the years,” Yadav concluded.
