IPL 2020: KXIP co-owner Preity Zinta applauds Nicholas Pooran’s acrobatic save at the boundary

Rajasthan Royals’ (RR) record win over Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) at the Sharjah Cricket Ground on Sunday was a match filled with individual efforts. For KXIP, opener Mayank Agarwal scored his maiden IPL century and was ably supported by his captain KL Rahul with a half-century. In reply, the Royals were guided by some brutal hitting from Sanju Samson, skipper Steve Smith and Rahul Tewatia, all of whom scored half-centuries.

With RR pulling off the highest successful chase in the history of the IPL, the run-fest in Sharjah will always remain memorable. However, amid all the run-scoring, an unbelievable fielding effort by KXIP’s Nicholas Pooran has sent people in a frenzy.

In the eighth over of Royals’ chase, Pooran, at deep mid-wicket, dived full length over the rope to catch the ball. He was stretching to the maximum possible and then caught the ball with his left hand. And, a millisecond before falling onto the ground, he flicked the ball back into play and RR had to settle for just two runs.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen something like this before”

KXIP co-owner Preity Zinta took to Twitter to praise Pooran. While captioning the video uploaded by Bollywood actor Riteish Deshmukh, Zinta wrote: “I don’t think I’ve ever seen something like this before. It’s so beautiful, so fluid it feels like poetry. This will go down in History as the best save & the best piece of fielding ever. Take a bow @nicholas_47 @JontyRhodes8 @lionsdenkxip #KXIPvsRR #Dream11 #IPL2020 #Ting.”

I don’t think I’ve ever seen something like this before. It’s so beautiful, so fluid it feels like poetry. This will go down in History as the best save & the best piece of fielding ever🤩 Take a bow @nicholas_47 @JontyRhodes8 @lionsdenkxip #KXIPvsRR #Dream11 #IPL2020 #Ting ❤️ https://t.co/6VF2iSRPi4

— Preity G Zinta (@realpreityzinta) September 27, 2020

Former West Indies fast bowler Ian Bishop also praised Pooran’s athleticism and wrote: “Nicholas Pooran has just pulled off one of the great saves in the game of cricket. Unbelievable awareness.”

Nicholas Pooran has just pulled off one of the great saves in the game of cricket. Unbelievable awareness.

— Ian Raphael Bishop (@irbishi) September 27, 2020