IPL 2026 | 'One of the best catches I’ve ever seen live': Sachin Tendulkar decodes Shreyas Iyer's sensational fielding effort

Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya was dismissed just as he was launching into the bowling of Punjab Kings courtesy a sensational effort by Punjab Kings skipper Shreyas Iyer during their clash on Thursday at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

Iyer, fielding at long off, leaped backward as he was going beyond the boundary and threw the ball back at the deep extra cover fielder, all within a split of a second.

The stunning effort caught the eye of two T20 World Cup winning captains Suryakumar Yadav and Rohit Sharma, who were in the MI dugout behind the PBKS captain.

The catch completed by Xavier Bartlett is already being touted as the best in the tournament. It has also grabbed the attention of the legendary Sachin Tendulkar.

In a social media post, Tendulkar, who has been a part of more than 600 international matches and associated with the IPL from the first season, explains why Iyer's effort is one of the best catches he has ever seen.

According to Tendulkar, Iyer's awareness made the catch special. "He had to judge the speed of the ball, the height, where the boundary rope was, how close he was to stepping on it, and get his jump absolutely perfect," Tendulkar said.

Tendulkar further explained that Iyer then had to release the ball and pass it to a teammate while still in the air.

"Then, while still in the air, he caught the ball and released it to a teammate before landing, all the while knowing exactly where that fielder was positioned. To process all of that in a split second takes unbelievable awareness, timing, fitness, and composure," Tendulkar added.

The catch meant that Hardik Pandya got out with 15 balls to spare, potentially saving PBKS crucial runs, given that the MI captain is known for his big hitting prowess.

With the bat, Shreyas Iyer smashed 66 runs off 35 balls, including five fours and four sixes to help his team chase 196 runs with 21 balls to spare. PBKS are now the only unbeaten team in the tournament with four wins in five matches, while one match was a wash out.