Aakash Chopra Hails Manish Pandey's Screamer as One of IPL's Best Catches

Although KKR eventually went down by six wickets as Virat Kohli struck a match-winning unbeaten century, Pandey's stunning grab to dismiss Tim David became one of the defining visual moments of the contest.

Reacting to the effort, Chopra said the catch stood out even more in a season where dropped chances have repeatedly dominated conversations around fielding standards.

"It was a stunning catch by Manish Pandey. We have seen nearly 175 drops already this season. But once in a while, we get a gem like this one. Manish dived full stretch to his left and pulled off a blinder. The umpire had to check two things. First, whether the ball had touched the ground. Second, whether it was Manish Pandey or Glenn Phillips. Because we are so used to seeing Phillips take these kinds of screamers.

"But this time, it was Manish Pandey. It left everyone stunned. Tim David stood there in disbelief and said it was not possible. This catch will go down as one of the best in IPL history. Manish Pandey has now played all 19 IPL seasons. Only Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have done the same. MS Dhoni hasn't played a match this season yet," Chopra told while speaking on JioStar.

The pivotal moment came during the final delivery of the 18th over in RCB's chase of 193. By then, Kohli had already established Bengaluru's dominance with another calm, masterful chase, supported earlier by Devdutt Padikkal at the top. As RCB edged closer to victory, Tim David stepped in with the intention of finishing the game swiftly.

Kartik Tyagi delivered a sharp, skiddy ball outside off stump, prompting David to swing hard, aiming to edge the ball behind point. The sequence of events that followed left almost everyone in the stadium momentarily stunned.

Positioned at backward point, Pandey instinctively reacted as the ball sped low and fast toward his left. Stretching fully and diving, he managed to catch the ball just inches above the ground while still in midair.

For a few moments, there was doubt about the catch. Tyagi raised his hands above his head, while David stood still and looked at the umpire, uncertain if the catch was clean. At the non-striker's end, Kohli's surprised reaction showed the disbelief felt by players from both teams.

Television replays only highlighted the brilliance of the effort. From the shot's speed to Pandey's diving angle, each replay made the catch seem more unlikely on the big screen. Although Pandey delivered an exceptional fielding moment, KKR couldn't prevent Kohli from reaching his unbeaten 105 off 60 balls.

RCB successfully chased the target with five balls to spare, reclaiming the top position on the IPL 2026 points table.

- IANS