Cricket is a funny game. Just when you think you are on the top, a stunning piece of bowling, fielding or maybe a boundary can change its fate. Something similar happened during the first T20I between England and India at the County Ground, Northampton on Saturday when India all-rounder Harleen Deol took a stunning catch in the boundary edge.
England were going strong in the middle after losing a few wickets in between. Their middle-order batters Nat Sciver and Amy Jones built a strong partnership of 78 runs. Even they were on the verge of taking the team to a huge total but a scintillating over from Shikha Pandey made all the difference.
The wonder started with captain Harmanpreet Kaur’s catch that sent Sciver in after scoring a scintillating fifty. IT was a fullish delivery outside off and Sciver decided to play an aerial shot through the cow corner region. She made great contact with the bat but Kaur came from long-on and dives forward to grab a brilliant low catch. While it broke the well-made partnership, it was Harleen Deol, who stole the limelight after three balls.
Alongside Sciver, Amy Jones too was about to score a blitzy half-century. However, Deol didn’t let her do that. It was the penultimate ball of the 19th over and Jones hit it towards the boundary. Harleen Deol, who was fielding at the boundary edge of long-off, took a stunner with her athletics skills.
Beaut @imharleenDeol #ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/ka2kRJgkNC
— Isa Guha (@isaguha) July 9, 2021
She grabbed the catch above her head but lost her balance and threw the ball in the air inside the rope as she stepped out of the boundary rope. And, soon after gathering the balance, she dived forward inside the boundary rope and complete the stunning catch as well.
Jones could manage to score 43 runs off 27 balls with the help of 4 fours and a couple of sixes before the excellent presence of mind of HArleen Deol sealed the deal. However, the final ball of the over saw another brilliant piece of fielding from the young wicketkeeper batter Richa Ghosh, who stumped Sophia Dunkley as she missed the cut and got out of balance. Three dismissals in the over helped India restrict the England team within 177 runs on the board after their allotted 20 overs.
Here is how Twitterati react on Harleen Deol stunner:
Superb athleticism and a stunning catch by Harleen Deol. Cricket fielding at its very best. pic.twitter.com/nVde2PWQSF
— Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad) July 9, 2021
A Catch for the ages, Harleen Deol. pic.twitter.com/KdfEc1yOQ9
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) July 9, 2021
Just sensational from Harleen Deol. It's great to see India's efforts to improve their fielding showing results like this. pic.twitter.com/yvicOF22PG
— Vinayakk (@vinayakkm) July 9, 2021
Harleen Deol’s catch, in case you missed it 😍 pic.twitter.com/nFg5oiQWS2
— Shiv Aroor (@ShivAroor) July 9, 2021
Wow !! Don't miss out on this magnificent catch by #HarleenDeol . Take a Bow… pic.twitter.com/wiXL3DZA2e
— Siddharth Shirole (@SidShirole) July 9, 2021
Harleen Deol has taken the best catch I've seen live in Women's Cricket… The timing was absolutely genius#ENGvIND #ENGWvINDW pic.twitter.com/g1See6yPvs
— Abhijeet ♞ (@TheYorkerBall) July 9, 2021
I wonder if I have ever seen three wicket-taking pieces fielding in the same over. That catch from Harleen Deol waa among the best you’d ever see. #INDWvsENGW
— Sambit Bal (@sambitbal) July 9, 2021
This has to be one of the best catches I’ve ever seen! 😱 Who said women’s cricket is not interesting!! Take a bow! #engvsind pic.twitter.com/50THlDJk61
— Lizelle Lee (@zella15j) July 9, 2021
What a catch! 🤯 @imharleenDeol https://t.co/KpyAZa5ryW
— Laura Wolvaardt (@LauraWolvaardt) July 9, 2021
OMG 😱 🤯🤯@imharleenDeol take a bow!! Calling it now the best we will see this series!! pic.twitter.com/O4Dwm4OYlU
— Lisa Sthalekar (@sthalekar93) July 9, 2021
That catch by Harleen 🔥🔥
— Veda Krishnamurthy (@vedakmurthy08) July 9, 2021