Sachin Tendulkar recently described a catch by Shreyas Iyer as "one of the best catches I have ever seen live" following a match-winning performance in IPL 2026. He called it an exceptional effort and one of the finest he had witnessed live.Tendulkar noted that the team's immediate celebration was proof that the catch was clean and fair, despite the high speed of the play.
“What made Shreyas Iyer’s catch so special was not just the athleticism, but the awareness behind it.
He had to judge the speed of the ball, the height, where the boundary rope was, how close he was to stepping on it, and get his jump absolutely perfect.
Then, while still in the air, he caught the ball and released it to a teammate before landing, all the while knowing exactly where that fielder was positioned.
To process all of that in a split second takes unbelievable awareness, timing, fitness, and composure. @ShreyasIyer15 got everything spot on. One of the best catches I’ve ever seen live!”, the post read.
The catch left former teammates Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav visibly stunned in the Mumbai dugout. Iyer himself acknowledged the "gravity-defying" moment by gesturing to the Wankhede crowd to applaud the effort.
What made Shreyas Iyer’s catch so special was not just the athleticism, but the awareness behind it. He had to judge the speed of the ball, the height, where the boundary rope was, how close he was to stepping on it, and get his jump absolutely perfect. Then, while still in the…
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) April 17, 2026
Shreyas Iyer's fielding efforts stun Wankhede
On April 16, 2026, Punjab Kings (PBKS) captain Shreyas Iyer pulled off what is widely being hailed as the "catch of the season" during an IPL clash against Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Wankhede Stadium. The spectacular relay catch to dismiss MI captain Hardik Pandya left legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, who was in attendance, thoroughly impressed. The dismissal occurred in the 18th over of the first innings, with Marco Jansen bowling to a dangerous-looking Hardik Pandya.
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Pandya launched a flat-batted shot toward long-on that appeared destined to clear the boundary for six.Iyer sprinted to his left and leaped high into the air, plucking the ball with a one-handed reverse cup.Mid-air and realizing his momentum would carry him over the rope, Iyer showed elite presence of mind to flick the ball back into the field.
