TimesofIndia.com in Mumbai: Will Jacks c Dubey b Arshdeep Singh. That’s the record for Will Jacks being fired. But what happened next was even more dramatic. It’s that kind of athleticism and awareness that turns catches into big moments.
Rarely do you get blindsided and give your team a much-needed breakthrough, but it’s not mentioned on the scoreboard. Despite the tough progress, Shivam Dube will always be mentioned on the scorecards, but Axar Patel’s never-taken catch could go down as one of the most iconic defensive efforts in the history of Indian cricket.
He trotted to his left, hands outstretched, nearly tripping but holding on, and then deftly relayed Shivam Dubey through deep. The two players then hugged each other and the team rushed toward Al-Aqsa a second time, letting out celebratory grunts.
The fifth-wicket partnership of 77 off 39 balls between Jacob Bethell and Will Jacks started to look threatening.
However, this is not the first time that Axar has produced a stunning performance in England’s run-chase. Earlier, he turned from the circle and sprinted at full speed to evade Harry Brooke’s errant drive over cover. Despite the distance, the ball seemed to escape his hands, but he fully stretched himself in the dive and managed to make a stunning catch.
For Axar, the two catches took on a different meaning when he felt the ball was following him down the field when he got another chance in the final over of Hardik Pandya’s over. While the Jacks’ catch was more important in the game, Brook’s catch was the more difficult of the two.
“Both of them are different. When I caught Harry Brooke, I thought it was a very good catch for me. I thought it was tough. But if you look at the situation and the way the batsmen were batting, Will Jacks’ catch was very important to break the partnership at that time. So it was very difficult for me if you ask me. But defensively, I think Harry Brooke’s catch was tougher. I thought the ball was behind me today,” Axar said during a media interaction after Team India. Seven consecutive wins against England.
In a high-scoring game, those defensive efforts made the most sense. England paid the price for Sanju Samson’s early reprieve and India took their chances. In a game with 499 runs scored and a seven-run win, the scorecards would mention Al-Aqsa only once. But the nation will remember him for his double effort that helped the Men in Blue secure a narrow victory and set up a clash with New Zealand in Sunday’s championship clash.
It will also be another homecoming for local boy Aqsa. After missing both the group stage games against the Netherlands and the Super Eights against South Africa, the all-rounder from Nadiad is now in high spirits and eager to play in front of his hometown fans.
Before the 2023 World Cup, fate is cruel. He missed the tournament due to injury and did not feature in the two matches in Ahmedabad, the nail-biting match against Pakistan and the final against Australia at the Narendra Modi Stadium on November 19. He has waited for over two years to play for India at home and missed out on a bilateral T20I match against South Africa due to illness.
“Ho sakta hai isi liye wo do matches nahi khelahouga (laugh) [Maybe I didn’t play those matches for this, the World Cup final]. This is very important to me. I’ve been waiting for this for so many years. Playing a game on your home court in front of your family is a very proud moment. I think in two years I will be playing at my home stadium. This is also the final of the ICC T20 World Cup. My son will also be in the stands watching the games live. That’s what I’m very proud of,” Aqsa said.
Ahmedabad and the World Cup final do not bring happy memories as fans still carry the scars of heartbreak from November 19, 2023. March 8 now offers the city the chance to write a new chapter, with local heroes determined to erase the memory of a night that broke the hearts of a billion people.
advertise
129127496
“Interior design hand-drawn renderings Interior design hand-drawn renderings… (Home players did not participate in that game [laughs]),” Aksa replied crisply when asked about India, Ahmedabad and the World Cup final.
After two sleeps, he has the opportunity to change the narrative around the venue, in front of his people and on his grounds.
