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Pakistan’s Abdullah Shafique completed arguably the greatest catch by a fielder at short-leg when he took a one-handed unbelievable take to dismiss Sri Lanka batter Sadeera Samarawickrama on Day 4 of the first Test match in Galle.
Shafique’s incredible catch in the 56th over reduced Sri Lanka to 175/6 before a terrific fightback from the lower middle order took them to 279. However, the highlight of the day remains Shafiq’s exceptional wrong-footed catch which left the onlookers in absolute disbelief.
Agha Salman delivered the fifth ball off the over to which Samarawickrama confidently advanced down the pitch. However, beaten by the length of it, the ball connected with the inside edge of Samarawickrama’s bat, sending it perilously close to short leg. With swift reflexes, Shafique sprang into action, anticipating the trajectory and swiftly shifting to his left. At the same time, with Samarawickrama venturing too far outside his crease complicating the situation. As luck would have it, the ball veered towards Shafique’s right side instead of his left. But despite the odds, the 23-year-old exhibited unparalleled skill and determination, snatching the ball from mid-air with his right hand in an extraordinary display of fielding prowess.
Watch the video below:
The catch was lauded by one and all on Twitter, with many calling it the greatest short-leg catch of all time and defining it with terms such as ‘atrocious’, ‘unbelievable’, ‘sorcery’, ‘crazy’ and what not. One user even felt it was the ‘greatest catch ever taken by a short leg fielder’. However, at the same time, certain Pakistan fans got a little ahead of themselves comparing him to Sri Lankan legend Kumar Sangakkara (for batting) and India great Rahul Dravid in terms of catching.
At the end of the fourth day, the Galle Test is tilted slightly in Pakistan’s favour. They need 83 runs to win on the final day with seven wickets in hand after finishing on 48/3 at stumps. Their ascendency in the match was headlined by Saud Shakil’s double century and Salman’s 83 which allowed Pakistan to put up a score of 461 in reply after Sri Lanka posted 361 on the back of Dhananjaya de Silva’s 10th Test ton (122).
De Silva followed it with another solid knock of 82 and aided by a half-century from Nishan Madushka, the hosts were all out for 279 setting Pakistan a target of 132. Prabath Jayasuriya struck thrice in the final session on Day 4 to send back Shafique, Shan Masood and Noman Ali. Imam-ul-Haq and captain Babar Azam are the two unbeaten batters for Pakistan.
