Royal Challengers Bangalore’s AB de Villiers on Thursday pulled off an incredible one-handed catch at the fence to leave cricket fans wide-eyed.
Fielding at deep mid-wicket the South African had a chance to send back a dangerous Alex Hales who was threatening to set base for Sunrisers Hyderabad as they looked to chase a mammoth 219-run target set by RCB.
Hales batting on 37 was eyeing the fence off nearly every ball. He looked to hoick one off Moeen Ali. He, and so did most viewers, felt he had the necessary height and distance needed to clear the fence and get another six under his belt. De Villiers, though, poured cold water on his hopes pulling off a stunning catch. He leaped in the air and extended a hand to pick the ball out of thin air and leave those watching gasping.
The catch upstaged Rashid Khan’s similar effort earlier in the day, raising many to ask if it was indeed the catch of the season or even the best catch ever in the IPL?
Twitter was quick to come out and express their shock at the manner in which he completed the catch:
One for the ages from ABD!#IPL11 #RCBvsSRH Live: https://t.co/rVSitmWwui pic.twitter.com/geNza50Qw8
— The Field (@thefield_in) May 17, 2018
Saw #SpiderMan Live today! 😮@abdevilliers17#RCBvsSRH #IPL2018 pic.twitter.com/mUuGVKuTn4
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) May 17, 2018
AB > Boult > Rashid? All on the same ground btw
— Sidvee (@sidvee) May 17, 2018
Mr. Superman!! 😍😍
— I Don't Wanna Go!! (@iamtnvr) May 17, 2018
Is there anything this man can't do?
What a Catch by AB de Villiers 🔥🔥🔥#RCBvSRH pic.twitter.com/auNK77lPqU
This is how Ab De Villiers saves RCB in IPL #RCBvSRH pic.twitter.com/DnXIi5pL13
— Rishabh Srivastava (@AskRishabh) May 17, 2018
ABdV as if jumping and pulling the ball back from spectators in 10th row. Legend. #IPL pic.twitter.com/vZ8ywyjOgT
— cricBC (@cricBC) May 17, 2018
Even the forces of gravity bow down to AB deVilliers' athleticism #RCBvSRH #Superman
— Akhila Ranganna (@akhilar) May 17, 2018
Peter Parker at Chinnaswamy
— GoanPatiala (@TheGoanPatiala) May 17, 2018
Spider-Man elsewhere #RCBVSRH #IPL pic.twitter.com/hKwI7L7MYn
Hey @MarvelStudios since you killed of Spiderman (sequel bait)
— Shakti Chaturvedi (@ico90clast) May 17, 2018
Let me present you an apt replacement for him in the next film
His name is Abraham Benjamin DeVilliers or ABD in short #AsliAvenger #Mr360 #ThanosWho pic.twitter.com/GbF8yksMh2
Amit Shah catching MLA's for majority#RCBvSRH #KarnatakaCMRace pic.twitter.com/bMWt9hgw55
— DJ 🎧 (@djaywalebabu) May 17, 2018
List moments in which a player's turned match around, @ABdeVilliers17 would feature most often, with bat or in the field. What a catch!
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) May 17, 2018
Ab de Villiers is not human. I repeat he is not human. pic.twitter.com/hz39X9pJJK
— Brandon Spence (@TheRealBSpence) May 17, 2018
Magician . #ABD. You've got to be here to hear the chant!
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) May 17, 2018