5 costliest dropped catches in international cricket history

In cricket, catches dropped can be equivalent to a match dropped. While this saying might sound cliche, in modern-day sport, it holds the highest degree of importance. Fielding is undoubtedly an important aspect of cricket and requires utmost concentration, be it a T20 or a Test match. The great Jonty Rhodes showed the world that even catches can change the course of a game.

While not all teams end up winning the match if they cling on to all their catches, the same applies to dropped catches too as the teams have won in the past despite leaving some essential catches. However, there are times when dropped catches could easily cost the game and in certain scenarios, even the series or a tournament. In cricket history, we have seen many instances where dropping a catch has proved to be a little too costly for the team.

Here take a look at the 5 costliest dropped catches in international cricket history: –

1. Thisara Perera drops Rohit Sharma, Eden Gardens, 2014

No dropped catch in ODI cricket has proved to be more costly in terms of runs than Thisara Perera dropping Rohit Sharma during a match between India and Sri Lanka at Eden Gardens in 2014. Perera not only gave a lifeline to the Indian stalwart but also paved the way for the first ever 250+ score by an individual in limited-overs cricket.

Rohit was batting on four at the time. The batsman was struggling through the initial stage of his historic innings and nearly gave it away on the ball by Shaminda Eranga as he hit one straight in the direction of third man. However, the Lankan team couldn’t capitalise on that single opportunity as Thisara left the catch.

After that, the Mumbai-based star was unstoppable as he played a larger-than-life inning by smashing 264 runs, the highest individual score in the history of ODI cricket. Thus, a single catch drop cost the island team 260 extra runs.

2. Kiran More drops Graham Gooch, Lord’s 1990

The Indian cricket team hardly won matches in the foreign land during the 80s and early 90s. The team once had a chance to outshine the Englishmen in a Test series in England. However, a catch drop by the wicketkeeper Kiran More washed away the chances of the Indian team registering a victory.

India had toured England for a three-match Test Series in 1990. During the inaugural match of the series at Lord’s, Graham Gooch tore apart India’s bowling lineup as he racked up a monumental score of 333 in the first innings followed by a decent score of 123 in the second innings. The Indian team had a chance against Gooch as he was almost caught-behind when he was on 36 in the first innings.

However, More couldn’t accept that chance and the visitors had to pay a hefty price. India eventually went on to lose the game by 247 runs. That was India’s only loss against England as the hosts clinched the series by 1-0.

3. Herschelle Gibbs drops Steve Waugh, ICC World Cup 1999

The most iconic drop catch in probably all of cricketing history must surely belong to Herschelle Gibbs. During the super-6 stage of the 1999 World Cup, Australia desperately needed to win the match against South Africa to make it to the semi-finals.

The kangaroos were reduced to a score of 149-3 in 30 overs but they still had hope left owing to the on-field batsmen Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting. Proteas had a chance of finalising their victory when Waugh proceeded to give a simple catch to Herschelle Gibbs at short mid-wicket. However, Gibbs, who was one of the best fielders in the world at the time, took the catch, but dropped it on his knee accidentally.

One line by the Australian captain sums up the consequences of Gibbs’ action. Waugh said “You just dropped the World Cup” as he went on to make 120* and win them the game. These words by Steve proved to be true as the Proteas could only tie the semi-final against Australia resulting in their exit from the World Cup.

4. Abdul Razzaq drops Sachin Tendulkar, 2003 World Cup

A mistake by Pakistan’s bowler Abdul Razzaq had almost brought Pakistan’s World Cup campaign to a grinding halt in 2003. Batting first, Pakistan had put up 273/7 owing to Saeed Anwar’s classy century (101 off 126).

In reply, India were reduced to a mere score of 57 for 2 having lost Virender Sehwag and Sourav Ganguly off successive balls. In the following over, the Men in Green had an amazing chance of thrashing India’s batting line-up. Sachin was batting at 32 when Razzaq dropped him off the bowling of Wasim Akram.

Akram knew the consequences of that dropped catch as he screamed at Abdul saying, “Tujhe pata hai tune kiska catch chhoda hai (Do you know whose catch you have dropped)?”. Adding salt to the wounds of the opposition, Tendulkar scored a brilliant 98 and India won the match.

5. Marlon Samuels drops Martin Guptill, 2015 World Cup

Even a small mistake during the World Cup matches can prove to be fatal for the whole team and nobody can vouch for this better than the West Indies cricketer Marlon Samuels. The occasion was the 4th quarter-final of the 2015 ICC World Cup, and New Zealand were batting first.

In the first over of the match only, the on-strike batsman Martin Guptill ended up hitting a ball by Jerome Taylor straight to Samuels at square leg. The fielder looked unprepared and ended up dropping a straightforward catch by the opening batsman. In literal sense, he gave a lifeline to both New Zealand team and Guptill who was batting at 4 at that time.

Martin capitalized on this stroke of luck and went on to add 233 more runs on the board. In that match, he also surpassed Chris Gayle’s record of  the highest score in a World Cup match. Guptill’s innings helped the Kiwis in qualifying for the semis by a 143-run win.