IPL 2020: Nicholas Pooran’s spectacular fielding hailed as ‘best ever’

Kings XI Punjab player Nicholas Pooran showed off to the cricket world his brilliant, almost super human fielding efforts to deny Rajasthan Royals’ Sanju Samson a sure shot six during their Indian Premier League match at the Sharjah Cricket Ground on Sunday.

Legends such as Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag were in awe and took to Twitter to laud the young West Indies cricketer’s fielding.

Though KXIP lost the match despite posting 223 for just two wickets, one of the highlights of the game was Pooran’s sensational dive-and-save on the field. When Samson smashed what looked like a sure-fire six off a Murugan Ashwin delivery in the 8th over, Pooran, who was standing near the boundary, leapt in the air, held on to the ball and threw it back inside the boundary to deny the Royals those vital runs.

Such was the awe that followed Pooran’s jaw-dropping fielding that Tendulkar, often hailed as the ‘God of Cricket’, couldn’t get over the “best save” he has ever seen.

“This is the best save I have seen in my life. Simply incredible!!, ” he tweeted.

Former India opener Sehwag, meanwhile, also heaped praise on young Pooran, calling his dive gravity-defying.

“Gravity naamak cheez hi bhula di. Aisa kaise. Defied Gravity, Pooran. What a save,” he tweeted.

Commentator Harsha Bhogle called it “one of the greatest fielding saves” he has ever seen.

“Pooran has just produced one of the greatest fielding saves I have ever seen.  That was almost two yards over the rope and to pull it back....Wow! Where is this standard of fielding going to take us next....,” he tweeted.

Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra was also left wondering how Pooran managed to pull it off.

“How did you do that, Pooran??? Are you wearing a cape under your #KXIP t-shirt?? Haven’t seen anything like this ever,” he tweeted.

Rajasthan Royals pulled off the highest successful chase in the history of the IPL, defeating Kings XI Punjab by four wickets. KXIP’s Mayank Agarwal scored his first IPL century, with captain K.L. Rahul contributing a fine half-century.

However, Samson’s 85, coupled with half-centuries by captain Steve Smith and Rahul Tewatia, helped Royals reach the target successfully.