After Kapil Dev-Esque Show, Axar Patel Takes Another Stunning Catch To Seal India’s Comeback

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Axar Patel, one of the best fielders of the side, took a blinder of a catch in the fourth over of the second semifinal of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. The left-hand all-rounder ran from deep point to backward point to dismiss the English captain, Harry Brooks. The catch was reminiscent of the one taken by former Indian captain Kapil Dev to dismiss West Indian batter Vivian Richards during the 1983 World Cup. India went on to win the ODI World Cup on that occasion.

The wicket came from a clever slower ball by Jasprit Bumrah, who rolled his fingers across the seam to completely deceive Brook. Attempting an aggressive shot after backing away, Brook mistimed it as his bottom hand came off the bat, sending the ball looping over the cover region.

Axar tracked the high skier perfectly, ran back while keeping his eyes on the ball, and then dived forward to complete a spectacular catch as it seemed to be drifting away from him. The effort was so intense that he stayed on the ground for a few moments before his teammates rushed in to celebrate the superb dismissal.

Axar Patel's Brilliant Catch To Dismiss Will Jacks

India's plan to dismiss Will Jacks finally paid off in the 18th over from Jasprit Bumrah. The Mumbai Indians star bowled a wide full toss outside off, tempting Jacks to reach out for it, but he could only slice the ball off the toe-end toward deep point.

What followed was a sensational fielding effort from Axar Patel, who sprinted across and caught the ball on the run. Losing his balance near the boundary, Axar showed great awareness of the ropes and flicked the ball back into play toward a converging Shivam Dube before stepping onto the cushions.

Shivam Dube completed the catch with ease, but it was Axar's athleticism and presence of mind that made the wicket possible, sparking huge celebrations as Suryakumar Yadav wrapped him in a hug after the outstanding effort.

India Posts Highest T20 World Cup Knockout Total

Earlier India posted the highest score in the T20 World Cup, courtesy of a blistering knock of 89 by Sanju Samson off 42 balls which had 8 boundaries and 7 sixes. He was on 15 runs when England skipper Brook dropped his catch, and the opening batter capitalised on the opportunity at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

Abhishek Sharma had another quiet outing, scoring just 9 runs from 7 balls. However, his early dismissal did not trouble the Men in Blue, as Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan dominated the powerplay, with Kishan smashing 39 runs off only 18 deliveries.

Later, Shivam Dube contributed a solid 43 off 25 balls, while Hardik Pandya added a quick 27 from 12 deliveries. Tilak Varma also chipped in with a brisk 21 off just 7 balls, helping maintain the team's momentum.