In our daily lives, it is quite common to hear the cliché that “there is no point in crying over spilled milk”. The majority would agree with the contention that it’s irrational to get bogged down by missed opportunities or chances as one should look forward not backward. However, try saying this to Hassan Ali, who dropped a straightforward catch of Mathew Wade in the 2021 T-20 World Cup Semi-Final or Herschelle Gibbs, whose profligacy towards Steve Waugh helped Australia win the World Cup in 1999, both would agree to disagree.
It is not for nothing that they say “catches win matches”, so it is difficult for a player to let bygones be bygones after grassing an opportunity in a match that his team lost. Hence, this becomes an ideal setting to go back to the times when fielders dropped not only the catches but matches as well, sometimes even coveted trophies.
Graham Gooch By Kiran More (1990)
India were always a good host but poor tourists, especially in the ’80s and ’90s. Our star-studded batting lineup always came a cropper on overseas pitches and we also lacked a potent bowling attack meant for fast and bouncy/ swinging and seaming tracks. In a one-off series against England in 1990 India had the rare opportunity to win a series abroad but for a spilled catch. England’s prolific batter Graham Gooch was batting on 36 when wicketkeeper Kiran More gave him a chance behind the stumps and the batter went on to score 333. India eventually got thrashed in the one-off Test by 247 runs.
Steve Waugh By Herschelle Gibbs (1999)
This happened to be one of the several occasions where Australia benefitted from the largesse of the rival team, that too in a World Cup encounter. Australia chasing a score of 272 was in a spot of bother at 130/3 in 30 overs with Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting at the crease. Waugh was waging a lone battle and The Proteas had an opportunity to dismiss the former Oz captain off the bowling of Lance Klusener. However, Herschelle Gibbs made a hash of an easy chance. Waugh’s immediate response to Gibbs “Mate, you just dropped the world cup” turned out to be prophetic in the end. Australia won the thriller by 5 wickets and Waugh remained not out with 130.
Sachin Tendulkar by Abdul Razzaq (2003)
In the 2003 World Cup clash between arch-rivals India and Pakistan, everyone remembers the six Tendulkar hit off Shoaib Akhtar, but no one remembers the crucial lifeline offered to India’s master blaster by a generous Pakistani fielder. It is never easy to chase a score of over 250 against the likes of Akram, Waqar, Shoaib and Razzaq, but Sachin made it look very easy with a belligerent 98. However, when India were 57 for 2 with both Sehwag and Ganguly back in the hunt things could have gone either way had Abdul Razzaq latched on to the opportunity provided by Tendulkar on 32. Akram, the bowler, was next heard admonishing Razzaq on the microphone in Hindi “Pata hai tune kiska catch choda hai (Do you know who you have dropped?)”. India won the match easily in the end.
Shane Watson By Rahat Ali (2015)
Pakistan have had the habit of being charitable as a fielding side and this is another example of their benevolence with Australia enjoying their hospitality for a change in the 2015 World Cup Quarterfinal. After getting dismissed for 213 in 49.3 overs, Pakistan had Australia in a tricky scenario in the ensuing chase. Shane Watson was at the crease and he was clueless against the fiery pace of Wahab Riaz. Against a short-pitched delivery of Riaz, the former Australian all-rounder played a desperate pull shot, which went straight to Rahat Ali at the long-leg boundary. However, Ali continued the tradition of
charity engendered by Pakistan over the years by dropping the dolly offered by the batsman. Watson was batting on 4 then and he remained unbeaten on 64 to steer Australia to a six-wicket victory.
Rohit Sharma By Thisara Pereira (2014)
The Mumbai dasher is the only batsman with three double hundreds in the ODI format. After scoring his first double ton in 2013 against Australia, his next one came in the preceding year 2014 against Sri Lanka at the Eden Gardens. However, on 4 when Rohit was looking uncomfortable at the crease he was given a life by Thisara Pereira at third man. The Hitman of India made the most of the opportunity as he scored 264 and became the only batsman in ODI international to reach a score of over 250. To add salt to the Sri Lankan injury, India won the match handsomely as well.
Brendon McCullum by Virat, Shikhar (2013-14)
In 2013-14, India was in New Zealand for a series comprising Test, ODI and T-20. After losing the first Test, India was firmly in control in the second one by dismissing Kiwis for 192 and scoring 438 in their first essay. With 246 runs in deficit, Black Caps were tottering at 5 for 94 in the second innings, but skipper Brendon McCullum played a marathon knock of 302 to force a draw against the Indians. But McCullum could have been dismissed on 9 and 36, however, Virat and Dhawan made a mess of the opportunities and aided the Kiwis’ captain to put the pressure back on Indians. Who knows! had any of the chances offered by McCullum been taken, India could have even drawn level the series 1-1. But it was not to be as India eventually lost the series 1-0.
