The tenth season of the IPL and its share of dropped catches does not seem to end. There have some exceptional catches but the ever-increasing number of the catches which have been shelved is disappointing for both the fans and the teams.
Not one but three such instances were on display today in the match between Delhi Daredevils and Gujarat Lions. Kagiso Rabada (twice) and Mohammed Shami (once) were the unlucky bowlers, on whose bowling were these catches shelved.
Rabada dismissed Brendon McCullum with the first delivery that he bowled. Dwayne Smith was run-out on the following delivery. In what was the perfect time for the Daredevils to further dent Lions’ prospects, Rabada created that chance but only to be dropped by Marlon Samuels at cover. Suresh Raina had not even opened his account at that point of time. On the last delivery of the same eventful over, Raina again received a life. This time by Shreyas Iyer at slip. A catch could not have been more simpler than that on a cricket ground. Raina was batting on 2* then.
Lions scored 58-2 at the end of the powerplay. On the third delivery of the seventh over, Samuels was found shelving a catch at mid-wicket off Shami. And guess who had the lucky escape? Yes. Raina. it was. He was batting on 40 on this moment.
Raina went on to score 77 (43) with the help of five fours and four sixes. But that is understandable if you will drop him thrice in the span of five overs. Someone of his stature certainly makes full use of these chances.
Watch the video of Shreyas Iyer dropping a dolly:
— CricShots (@cric_shots) May 4, 2017
Video Credits – IPL.
Feature Image Source – iplt20.com (screen grab)
