Radha Yadav, filling in as a substitute for captain Harmanpreet Kaur, stole the spotlight with a stunning catch during India's Group A match against Sri Lanka in the Women's T20 World Cup 2024. In Sri Lanka's chase, Yadav pulled off what is being hailed as the catch of the tournament.
The moment came in just the second ball of the innings, when Sri Lanka’s Vishmi Gunaratne tried to counter Renuka Singh Thakur’s in-swinging delivery but mistimed it, sending the ball skyward. Yadav, undeterred by teammate Jemimah Rodrigues being nearby, sprinted, dove fully, and snatched the ball with her extended right hand in a remarkable display of athleticism. The catch set the tone for India, giving them their first wicket as Gunaratne was out for a duck.
Yadav’s impact didn’t stop there. She grabbed two more catches later in the innings, capping off an excellent fielding performance. India, having posted 172-3 in their 20 overs thanks to half-centuries from Smriti Mandhana (50) and Harmanpreet Kaur (52), bowled out Sri Lanka for just 90. The Indian bowlers Arundhati Reddy and Asha Sobhana also impressed, both taking 3-19.
With this win, India secured their second victory in three matches, keeping their semi-final hopes alive ahead of their final group-stage match against defending champions Australia. For Sri Lanka, this defeat eliminated them from semi-final contention.