India vs Australia 2023
‘Pankho ka nahi, hauslo ka udaan’ – Fans admire Steve Smith’s flying catch to get rid of Hardik Pandya in second ODI vs India in Vishakhapatnam
In the second one-day international of the series, played on Sunday in Visakhapatnam, Australian skipper Steve Smith made an incredible catch to remove the dangerous Hardik Pandya and drop India to a precarious 49/5.
Sean Abbott pitched on a section short of a nice length and straightened his seam-up delivery. Pandya made ineffective attempts to interfere with the delivery. When the ball caught on Pandya’s bat’s heavy outside edge and soared towards slip, Smith dove full-length to his right to grab a catch only inches from the ground. On social media, the catch’s video is becoming very popular.
Here’s the video of the catch:
Top class catch by Steve Smith@stevesmith49 #INDvsAUS pic.twitter.com/n6PmOB6aEi
— Nitin Godbole 🇮🇳 (@nitingodbole) March 19, 2023
Australia won the game by 10 wickets
Speaking of the game, Australia defeated the hosts by 10 wickets after being asked to chase a target of 118 runs. Australia easily reached 121/0 in 11 overs, thanks to Mitchell Marsh’s undefeated 66 runs off 36 balls, which included six fours and six sixes. Travis Head, meanwhile, scored 51 runs off 30 balls in an undefeated performance that included 10 fours.
India was initially dismissed for 117 runs in 26 overs, as only four batters could reach double-figure scores. With 31 off 35, star batter Virat Kohli remained the highest scorer, followed by Axar Patel’s crucial run-a-ball 29 that took India beyond the 100-run mark. Starc caused a rampage over the Indian top order as he picked up the first four wickets of the game even before they could put 50 runs on the board.
If Australia wins the ongoing ODI series, they will become the number-one-ranked ODI side. Earlier in the tour, the visitors lost the coveted four-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test series 2-1 to India, with one Test ending in a stalemate. This is Australia’s third straight loss at the hands of India in Test series. The two teams will face each other again when they meet in the Global Test Championship final in June at the Oval, to be played between June 7 and 11.
Here’s how fans reacted to Steve Smith’s heroics on the field:
We have been this before 🙂
— Zed. (@ZedBuzz7) March 19, 2023
finally a 49 number which isn't humiliating
— To Be Revealed Soon (@vijay_fan22) March 19, 2023
And there is Kohli who drops catches for fun
— LA LA LAND ☭ (@Pratikeighteen) March 19, 2023
Dropping easy with one hand : chokli pic.twitter.com/985l3DT8wL
— god rohit sharma fanclub (@rogoat45ro) March 19, 2023
Steve flying Smith pic.twitter.com/20ZXH6oKQ4
— DhoniFanRoshan 🦁 (@ItsRoshan124) March 19, 2023
— Mohit 🌻 (@_Mukhtaliff_) March 19, 2023
this still remains the Greatest Catch of All time by @RickyPonting pic.twitter.com/7eNY1JA2KL
— ali (@LucknowCityy) March 19, 2023
— Jay Pandey (@jayypandey_) March 19, 2023
