News Desk: India pacer Arshdeep Singh grabbed attention with a clever piece of fielding during the first T20I against New Zealand on Thursday, October 22. The left-arm fast bowler used his football skills to run out Bevon Jacobs, producing an unusual moment that quickly went viral on social media.
The incident took place during the 18th over of New Zealand’s innings at a crucial stage of the match. With Glenn Phillips and Jacobs looking to steal a quick single, Arshdeep showed excellent awareness and presence of mind. Instead of picking up the ball and throwing it towards the stumps, he cleverly redirected it with his foot.
The ball travelled towards the stumps, catching Jacobs short of his ground. Although the batter appeared to have made it back, his bat was in the air when the stumps were broken. The decision went against Jacobs, handing India a vital breakthrough at a time when New Zealand were looking to accelerate their scoring.
Jacobs had been making a significant contribution with the bat, scoring 31 runs off just 16 deliveries. He and Phillips had put together a rapid 73-run partnership in around five overs, putting the Indian bowling attack under pressure.
Arshdeep’s smart piece of fielding ended the partnership and shifted the momentum in India’s favour. The moment also caught the attention of cricket fans online, with many praising the pacer for his quick thinking and unusual technique.
Interestingly, Kolkata Knight Riders also highlighted the moment on social media. The franchise pointed out that Arshdeep Singh and Portuguese football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo share the same birthday, adding another talking point to the viral clip.
Following Jacobs’ dismissal, New Zealand struggled to maintain the same scoring rate. Michael Bracewell managed only seven runs off six balls before departing, further denting the hosts’ hopes of building a stronger finish.
Earlier, New Zealand had posted an imposing 225/4 in their allotted 20 overs. Glenn Phillips led the charge with an unbeaten 82 off 40 balls, while Finn Allen contributed 45 off 24 deliveries. Daryl Mitchell added 28 runs from 19 balls, helping the hosts set India a challenging target of 226.
India, however, produced a memorable chase. Sanju Samson scored 67 off 33 balls, while Abhishek Sharma made 29 off just 12 deliveries. After India lost four wickets for 29 runs, captain Shreyas Iyer and Naman Dhir steadied the innings with crucial contributions of 42 each.
Dhir remained unbeaten on 42 off 15 balls as India reached 230/6 in 19.4 overs, securing a thrilling four-wicket victory with two balls remaining. Arshdeep’s moment of brilliance in the field proved to be one of the memorable highlights of an exciting opening encounter.
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