"All I could see was World Cup flying away" - Suryakumar Yadav reveals how he completed jaw-dropping catch in T20 WC final

In a high-stakes final of the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, Suryakumar Yadav's breathtaking catch of David Miller proved to be the game-changing moment that turned the match in favor of India and eventually won the game by seven runs against South Africa in Barbados.

With South Africa needing 16 runs off the final over, Miller smashed a full toss from Hardik Pandya towards long-off, seemingly going for a huge six at the Kensington Oval in Barbados on Saturday, June 29.

However, Suryakumar sprinted across, jumped into the air, and managed to pick up the ball just before it crossed the boundary ropes in the high-pressure situation, which stopped every Indian fan’s heart.

Suryakumar Yadav opens up about his jaw-dropping catch that won India ICC T20 World Cup 2024

Aware of the crucial momentum carrying the ball towards the boundary, Suryakumar instinctively threw the ball back into the ground, regained his balance, and dived back to complete the fabulous catch, which will be remembered for years. Then, Miller's wicket effectively sealed India's fate.

Reflecting on his extraordinary catch, Suryakumar opened up about the thoughts that were dancing in his mind, saying he felt like the T20 World Cup trophy was slipping away, and this thought prompted him to take Miller's incredible catch.

Suryakumar Yadav was quoted as saying by The Times of India: “I really don’t know what was going through my mind. All I could see was the World Cup flying away and I just latched on to it.”

Recalling the tense situation, the Indian batter described how, in the heat of the moment, it felt like the trophy itself was slipping away as the ball headed towards the boundary.

It felt like the trophy was sailing to the other side: Suryakumar Yadav

Despite the pressure, Suryakumar said he kept himself focused and did not assume the worst outcome. He credited his training and preparation with India's fielding coach, T. Dilip, for helping him execute such critical catches under pressure.

Suryakumar also admitted that the favorable wind conditions slightly helped him take one of the most remarkable catches of the game. He also highlighted how practice and preparation helped him turn the match in favor of the Indian cricket team.

Suryakumar was quoted as saying by India Today: “Now it's easy to say. But at that time, it felt like a trophy was sailing over the boundary to the other side. But yeah, in that moment, you don't think the ball will cross the boundary line and go for six. Whatever was in my control, I tried it.

And wind was also a good factor at that moment and helped me a little bit. And we have done a lot of practice sessions with our fielding coach and taken a lot of catches like this. So, when it comes to a game like this, our presence of mind is very important.”

Notably, Suryakumar scored 199 runs in the T20 World Cup 2024 and helped his team end the 11-year drought of the ICC trophy. It was India’s first T20 World Cup win after 17 years, having won the inaugural edition of the tournament in 2007.