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[Saba Sports News] In Indian cricket history, certain moments stand out forever. One such moment was during the T20 World Cup 2024 final when Suryakumar Yadav’s spectacular catch was immortalized by Jatin Sapru’s electrifying call, “Long off… long off… long off Suryakumar Yadav!”
Facing South Africa at Kensington Oval, Barbados, on June 29, 2024, the Rohit Sharma-led side needed to defend 16 runs in the last over. Hardik Pandya was given the responsibility to bowl. As David Miller hit the first ball towards long off, Sapru’s commentary captured the drama.
Sapru recalled, “I said ‘ek Aakhri mauka.’ The ball flew, and for the first two seconds, I didn’t say anything because it was hard to pick its trajectory. I took a couple of seconds and thought it was surely going for six.”
Yadav, positioned at long off, began to run, catching Sapru’s eye. The commentator instinctively repeated “long off” three times as Yadav completed the catch. Yadav’s catch, a masterclass in fielding, involved catching the ball inside the boundary, stepping over, releasing it, and reclaiming it within the playing area. This act secured India’s victory by seven runs.
Sapru explained, “I saw someone running interestingly; that was the first ‘long off.’ The second was when he got closer, and the third was when Surya took the catch. I wasn’t prepared for that moment.”
Almost a month after winning the title, Yadav reflected, “This will stay with me forever. I’ve practiced those catches a lot, but to do it in a World Cup final is special. This memory will last a lifetime.”
The match was a rollercoaster. South Africa, chasing 177, seemed in control after Heinrich Klaasen’s explosive over against Axar Patel. However, the Indian bowlers, led by Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, and Jasprit Bumrah, held their nerve, conceding just 22 runs in the final five overs.