Anuj Rawat's brilliance behind the wicket proved to be a decisive factor in Royal Challengers Bengaluru's victory over the Punjab Kings at the M Chinnaswamy stadium on Monday, March 25, 2024, night.
Throughout the innings, he transformed himself into an impenetrable wall, snaring a string of crucial catches that stifled PBKS' batting momentum and significantly boosted RCB's bowling attack.
Stunning catches from the PBKS-RCB game:
Anuj Rawat
Rawat's sharp reflexes, clean glovework, and a spectacular diving effort showcased his exceptional skills as a wicket-keeper and played a vital role in securing victory for RCB.
In the 10th over, Rawat pouched a top-edged shot from Prabhsimran Singh off Glenn Maxwell's bowling. This dismissal prevented a potentially damaging innings and put the brakes on the Punjab scoring.
Rawat doubled his tally in the 12th over with a clean catch behind the stumps. Liam Livingstone's powerful stroke off Alzarri Joseph found Rawat's gloves, sending the dangerous batsman back to the pavilion.
The 17th over saw a moment of brilliance from Rawat. Yash Dayal's bouncer cramped Sam Curran for space, and his attempted pull resulted in a glove touch. With a spectacular diving leap, Rawat snatched the ball out of thin air to secure a crucial dismissal just as a dangerous partnership was blossoming.
Mohammad Siraj's short-ball strategy paid dividends once again in the 19th over. Jitesh Sharma miscued a bouncer, sending the ball skyward. Rawat ensured a comfortable catch to dismiss the dangerous batsman and further restrict the Punjab scoring.
Harpreet Brar
Brar emerged as a thorn in RCB's side throughout the match. Not only did he impress with his economical bowling spell (2/13), but he also played a crucial role in dismissing their batting mainstay, Virat Kohli.
Kohli's blistering knock threatened to single-handedly steal the match for RCB. However, his attempt to score off a slower ball from Harshal Patel lacked power and distance. Brar, positioned perfectly at deep third man, judged the trajectory of the ball beautifully and completed a comfortable catch to end Kohli's magnificent innings.
Brar's all-around brilliance, with his bowling and exceptional fielding, significantly dented RCB's chase, but DK had other plans.
PBKS Vs RCB: Who Took The Best Catch?
