Manish Pandey may have ended up on the losing side against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, but the veteran KKR batsman created a moment in Raipur that instantly entered the IPL 2026 catch conversation. Pandey produced a stunning one-handed flying catch to dismiss Tim David, leaving Virat Kohli, Kartik Tyagi and even his own Kolkata teammates all out.
When Tim David bowled a short delivery from Kartik Tyagi on the last ball of the 18th over, the ball flew swiftly towards backward point. For a split second it looked like it was destined to escape.
But Pandey reacted sharply to his non-dominant side, darting low and full to the left before somehow sticking one hand out and clinging to the ball inches above the turf.
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For a moment, almost no one on the field seemed to believe he had actually completed the catch. Tyagi immediately stood with his hands on his head in disbelief, while David himself looked frozen before turning to the umpire, seemingly unsure if the effort was even possible. At the non-striker’s end, Virat Kohli could only stand open-mouthed and watch the replay progress.
Even a few players in the KKR field rushed towards Pandey with expressions of shock rather than celebration.
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The resignation came during RCB are chasing 193 in the closing stages of the innings.
By then, Bengaluru had largely taken control of the contest thanks to Virat Kohli’s brilliant century and another important contribution from Devdutt Padikkal at the top. Tim David arrived late in the innings looking to finish the chase quickly before Pandey works his magic.
Tyagi played a slippery length shot outside off and David tried to cut hard behind point. The connection came slightly lofted, but the ball still traveled quickly and clumsily towards the back dot.
However, Pandey responded immediately.
He darted left, took a full run, and completed a one-handed catch with his weaker hand that instantly became one of the highlights of the season.
The replay only made the effort look even more ridiculous.
From the angle of the bounce to the pace at which the ball was traveling, it seemed almost impossible for Pandey to get a clean hold on it.
VIRAT KOHLI’S CENTURY SPOILS KKR’S NIGHT
Unfortunately for KKR, Pandey’s efforts ended up being a lost cause.
The night belonged to Virat Kohli and RCB.
Playing in his milestone 279th IPL appearance to become the player with the highest limit in the tournament’s history, Kohli bounced back from back-to-back ducks in perfect fashion to smash his ninth IPL century.
The knock also helped Kohli end his short lean patch in style after the discussions about his back-to-backs before the match.
With support from Devdutt Padikkal at the top and timely contributions during the chase, RCB eventually beat Kolkata Knight Riders by six wickets to further strengthen their push for the playoffs.
For KKR, however, the defeat made their qualification journey even more difficult, despite one memorable moment from Manish Pandey that left almost everyone in Raipur wondering if they had just witnessed the catch of the season.
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Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
14 May 2026 0:45 AM IST
