Former Australian cricketer Ricky Ponting has reacted to Suryakumar Yadav’s catch of David Miller in the 2024 T20 World Cup final between India and South Africa. He said that they will see a lot of catches from the Indian batsman in the future.
While he failed to make an impact with the bat in the final of the 2024 T20 World Cup, Suryakumar Yadav made sure to make an even better contribution that all but sealed the game for the Indian National Cricket Team and rewarded them with their second T20 World Cup title.
The final between India and South Africa was decided at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados, and the match went entirely in favour of the Proteas team. Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller seemed to have taken control of the Indian team.
In the final over, South Africa needed 16 runs. Hardik Pandya bowled a full toss and David Miller hit it straight. The ball looked like it was going to go for six, but Suryakumar Yadav on the boundary ropes did something that tilted the game in India’s favour and sealed the tournament.
Suryakumar Yadav, who was just inches away from the boundary rope, pulled off a magical catch. He showed great presence of mind, controlled his nerves, got past the boundary ropes and then came back to complete the catch and send the batsman to ruin.
Ricky Ponting, speaking about David Miller’s catch, admitted that he didn’t see it for the first time but after the reactions from other commentators, he got curious. The former Australian international praised Suryakumar Yadav for his efforts and while speaking to ICC, he explained:
“I was sitting at the back of the commentary booth and the ball was coming straight at me. So I jumped up and there were about 10 people in front of me. But once I heard the reaction from the other commentator, I was like, ‘Okay, I need to see this on replay.'”
“But yeah, I think we have incredible mental clarity, to be able to understand where he was, catch the ball like he did, keep his balance so well, outside the box, inside the box.”
Small moments like that can make all the difference: Ricky Ponting on Suryakumar Yadav’s catch
Ricky Ponting further stated that moments like these often make the difference and had he not taken the catch, India could have lost the final of the tournament. He further explained:
“Small moments like that can be the difference between winning or losing a game. That one today could have been the difference between losing a World Cup and not just a Super Bowl.
“So, an extraordinary catch. I think from all the replays and things that came out of this final, “I think that’s the one that worked the best.”
The catch proved to be the difference as Hardik Pandya bowled a sensational over after that and India won the match by 7 runs to end their 11-year title drought.
