WATCH | ‘Flying’ Murugan Ashwin pulls off outrageous backward running catch in TNPL 2023 with audacious dive

06/19/2023

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In cricket, only a few efforts are tougher than completing a backward running catch, as it takes an accurate judgment to be successful. Murugan Ashwin showed excellent fielding skills on Sunday in TNPL 2023 when he grabbed a stunner while flying after running back from the point region.

Hari Nishanth-led Siechem Madurai Panthers suffered their second defeat on the trot in TNPL 2023, as Ravichandran Ashwin’s Dindigul Dragons chased an easy 124-run target with 35 balls and seven wickets to spare. The result led the Panthers to languish at the bottom of the points table. However, a moment of brilliance from Panthers’ Murugan Ashwin made headlines on Sunday, and there were the right reasons to do so because the spectators won’t see something similar on the field every day.

It was the fourth ball of the fourth over, bowled by left-arm quick Gurjapneet Singh, which was a length delivery outside the off stump. Batting on 3 off 4 balls, S Arun tried to slash it over mid-off, but could not get the elevation right. The ball was going over the point region, where Murugan Ashwin was fielding. Despite the ball was well beyond his reach, the 32-year-old did not give up. He ran backward with full pace and outstretched his both hands when the ball was about to land and put a dive to complete an absolute beauty of a catch.

Unsurprisingly, Murugan was pumped up after completing the catch, and the crowd, as well as his teammates, went berserk to see his 100% commitment on the field.

Here's the catch: