“Running Backwards….,” Axar Patel Reveals His Favourite Catch From India’s Epic Semi-Final

India’s thrilling win over England in the T20 World Cup 2026 semi-final had many standout moments but one that caught everyone’s attention was a brilliant catch by Axar Patel. The Indian all-rounder later revealed that the catch he took to dismiss England captain Harry Brook was his personal favourite from the match.

Axar Patel played a major role in India’s victory, not just with the ball but also in the field. His efforts helped India reach their second straight T20 World Cup final and kept their hopes alive of defending the title.

Speaking to the ICC, Axar Patel explained why the catch of Harry Brook meant so much to him. According to him, the difficulty of running in the opposite direction while tracking the ball made it particularly special.

He said that his favourite catch was the one to dismiss England captain Harry Brook because he was running in the opposite direction and even his vision was facing the other way. Axar Patel added that he had to pause for a brief moment to judge where the ball was heading before moving in the right direction. He explained that this is the toughest part when a fielder is running away from the ball rather than towards it. He also mentioned that while the catch to dismiss Will Jacks involved running sideways, catching a ball while running the opposite way is far more satisfying.

Axar Patel is widely known as one of India’s safest fielders and has built a reputation for taking difficult catches under pressure. A similar moment came during the 2024 T20 World Cup Super 8 match against Australia when he stunned fans with an acrobatic catch near the boundary to dismiss captain Mitchell Marsh.

In the semi-final, fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah dismissed Harry Brook during the powerplay with a slower cutter. Harry Brook hit the ball towards the cover region, where Axar Patel ran backwards and completed a stunning catch.

Later in the match, Axar Patel was also involved in an important relay effort that led to the dismissal of Will Jacks. At the time, Will Jacks had scored 35 runs off 20 balls and was building a dangerous 77-run partnership with Jacob Bethell in just 39 deliveries.

The wicket came at a crucial stage of England’s chase. When Sam Curran joined Jacob Bethell at the crease, England needed 45 runs from the final three overs. Captain Suryakumar Yadav then brought Jasprit Bumrah back into the attack and the pacer delivered a tight over, conceding just six runs.

All the best to the Indian team for the finals!

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