T20 World Cup 2024: Fresh angle of Suryakumar Yadav’s match-changing catch settles debate

Suryakumar Yadav. (Source – Getty Images)

Team India returned triumphant from Barbados as the winners of the T20 World Cup 2024. The summit clash against South Africa proved to be a thriller in all its glory. However, a controversial moment emerged the very last over, when Suryakumar Yadav took an exceptional catch to dismiss David Miller in the final over.

Had the ball gone for a six, South Africa would have needed 10 runs to win in the next five deliveries. However, the catch brought India completely into the game. Meanwhile, the legitmacy of Yadav’s catch has been questioned as a tan line gave an impression that the boundary cushion was not in its original place. Further, it was also suggested that Suryakumar’s feet touched the rope. With differing opinions being discussed, a new angle on the catch has come forth, which clarifies that his feet was clear of the rope. 

Also read: T20 World Cup 2024: Video reveals Rohit Sharma’s dejected reaction before Suryakumar Yadav’s game-changing catch

A new slow-motion smartphone camera captured the footage, filmed by the spectators in the stadium. The clip shows plenty of distance between Surya’s feet and the boundary rope as he takes the catch. 

Suryakumar talked about the moment where he took the catch and expressed how he felt about Rohit Sharma standing long on. 

“Rohit bhai usually never stands at long-on but at that moment he was there, So when the ball was coming, for a second I looked at him and he looked at me. I ran and my aim was to catch the ball. Had he [Rohit] been closer, I would have thrown the ball towards him. But he was nowhere close. In those four to five seconds, whatever happened, I can’t explain,” Suryakumar told the IndianExpress.

Also read: Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav wallow in bhangra upon reaching hotel in Delhi

“When I pushed the ball [up and inside the playing area] and took the catch, I knew I hadn’t touched the rope, The only thing I was cautious about was that when I pushed the ball back inside, my feet don’t touch the rope. I knew it was a fair catch. In hindsight, anything could have happened. 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 added.