IPL 2026: KKR veteran Manish Pandey Wins IPL 2026 'Catch of the Season' Award

The curtains have officially come down on the IPL 2026 season, and the tournament has firmly established a new powerhouse dynasty. By successfully defending their crown, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have become the latest serial champions of the league, matching the legendary back-to-back feats of Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians.

While Bengaluru walks away with the ultimate team glory, the individual awards have celebrated moments of sheer genius across the tournament. Key among them is the Catch of the Season award, deservingly handed to veteran Indian cricketer Manish Pandey playing for KKR for a gravity-defying piece of fielding athleticism.

They say "catches win matches," and the grand finale beautifully illustrated just how thin the margin is between glory and disaster. The ultimate match featured glaring lapses in fielding that sent shockwaves through both dugouts. First, a costly dropped chance handed a massive reprieve to Washington Sundar, threatening to completely swing the momentum of the game. Then after, the cricket world watched in disbelief as the legendary Virat Kohli's catch was taken by Shubman Gill only to get reprieve after consultation with TV Umpire.

The Catch of the Season: Manish Pandey's Stunner in Raipur

Against the backdrop of a season filled with fielding blunders, Manish Pandey's stunning one-handed grab to dismiss Tim David stands out as a masterpiece. The exceptional effort took place during an intense IPL 2026 group-stage clash between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur. It is an effort universally regarded as the absolute best piece of fielding this year.

How did Manish Pandey Take the Catch vs RCB?

Off the final ball of the 18th over, with the batting side looking to launch a massive death-overs assault, power-hitter Tim David threw his hands at a sharp, short-of-length delivery from KKR pacer Kartik Tyagi, striking it with ferocious power.

The Catch: The ball traveled with rocket-like speed and was destined to race away to the boundary. Stationed at backward point, Pandey reacted with lightning reflexes. Diving full-stretch to his left, he stuck out his non-dominant hand, plucking a one-handed blinder inches off the turf.

Virat Kohli, who was standing at the non-striker's end, was so awestruck by the brilliance that he walked all the way across the pitch to hug and appreciate Pandey for his world-class effort.