SL vs AFG | Twitter in disbelief as keeper Samarawickrama sees the future to take impossible grab at leg slip
Exceptional game awareness is a pre-requisite for any keeper but to stand out requires reflexes bordering on superhuman. Sadeera Samawickrama proved Spidey sense is very much real by pre-meditatively abandoning his position behind the stumps to take perhaps the best catch ever by a wicket-keeper.
Sri Lanka took the driver's seat on Day 1 of the one-off Test against Afghanistan in Colombo by bowling out the visitors for 198 with the experienced Vishwa Fernando scalping four. The only batter that seemed to show the minerals for a long innings was Rahmat Shah with the batter battling hard in his 139-ball stay for 91 and lacing 13 boundaries in the process. The 30-year-old looked on course for a second Test ton and it took a Matrix-breaking sequence by Saadera Samarawickrama to deny him the honours.
Shah's eyes lit up when slow-left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya pitched a full delivery in line with the stumps to kick off the 45th over and he quickly got down on his knee to sweep the ball towards fine-leg. However, the frequency and efficiency with which he had played the shot up to the point meant Samarawickrama was more than anticipating it, and in a groundbreaking display of quick thinking, the veteran started moving across toward his left even before the red cherry had pitched. By the time the ball met the willow, Samarawickrama was already perfectly stationed at the edge of the pitch and simply lowered his hand to complete a simple-looking but improbably well-executioned blinded.
The wicket-keeper's teammates were understandably shocked and ecstatic as were the umpires, to such an extent that the review for the catch lasted over five minutes despite no doubts over its legality. Twitterati, however, took no time to label it as one of the best catches in modern cricketing history.
Brilliant!
Anticipation on point 👌💯
— Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) February 2, 2024
Brilliant piece of wicket-keeping from #SadeeraSamarawickrama saw Rahmat Shah depart 9 runs short of his century 🧤#SonySportsNetwork #SLvAFG pic.twitter.com/SEACw7yvFj
What a catch!
— Jas Pope (@jas_pope93438) February 2, 2024
Phenomenal
Phenomenal take by Sadeera Samarawickrama to dismiss Rahmat Shah 🥵 #SLvAFG pic.twitter.com/58O6FVHLAE
— Estelle Vasudevan (@Estelle_Vasude1) February 2, 2024
Salute
Anticipation 🫡
— CricWick (@CricWick) February 2, 2024
Sadeera Samarawickrama took an exceptional catch down the leg side to dismiss Rahmat Shah 😮#SLvAFG pic.twitter.com/12GhMiyEbV
All out!
All out for 198. Couldn't watch a single ball today. #SLvAFG
— eranga tennakoon (@erangatennakoon) February 2, 2024
10!
Rate Samarawickrama(Wk) catch today against AFG on a scale of 1-10🤔🤔#SLvAFG#INDvsENG#AUSvsWIpic.twitter.com/5jnMHjtoFd
— !BabarAzamTheLegend!💯 (@BabarAzamTheLeg) February 2, 2024
Sensational
What a sensational catch by Sadeera Samarawickrama to dismiss Rahmat Shah! 🔥 #SLvAFG #icc #cricket pic.twitter.com/GSTC4MAq4K
— Cricadium CRICKET (@Cricadium) February 2, 2024
Amazing!
Wow, that’s amazing to grab that#SLvAFG https://t.co/JQ6G6C1KES
— Deep Longstop 🐶 🏏 (@deeplongstop) February 2, 2024
Not good!
Afghanistan are all out for 198 in the first innings of the one off test against Sri Lanka, Rahmat Shah was the only half centurion scoring 91.#SLvAFG #AFGvSL pic.twitter.com/1KrfXTWHBY
— Bashir Gharwal غروال (@bashir_gharwall) February 2, 2024
Crazy
What anticipation and reflex! 😳 #SLvAFG pic.twitter.com/Cf7lzlNfuG
— Keh Ke Peheno (@coolfunnytshirt) February 2, 2024
Just unlucky
Keeper’s mind awareness 💯
— Bashir Gharwal غروال (@bashir_gharwall) February 2, 2024
Just unlucky to miss out on a well deserved ton @RahmatShah_08 #SLvAFG #SLvsAFG pic.twitter.com/OjnqMKsaX2