IPL 2026: The M. Chinnaswamy Stadium has seen numerous moments of magic over the years, most often courtesy of the wizard himself, AB de Villiers. On Saturday night, in the high-octane IPL 2026 opener between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), the cricket fans witnessed a vivid sense of deja vu. This time around, it was Phil Salt who played the hero with a gravity-defying one-handed catch that turned the game on its head.
The Breakthrough RCB Desperately Needed
Sunrisers Hyderabad were cruising with a blazing knock by Ishan Kishan. The dynamic left-hander was in a murderous mood and was taking apart the RCB attack with a whirlwind 80 off just 38 deliveries. The eight boundaries and five massive sixes by Kishan ensured that the Orange Army was heading towards a massive total. RCB captain Rajat Patidar threw the ball to his debutant bowler Abhinandan Singh in the hope of a miracle.
The miracle was indeed achieved by the bowler but not in the way one expected. The ball was a full toss outside the off-stump, which Kishan normally would have sent to the fence with ease. Kishan was in a hurry to get to his century and thus opened the face of his bat with a slight cut aimed at the point boundary.
PHIL SALT – CATCH OF THE TOURNAMENT AT CHINNASWAMY 🥶
– Phil Salt has produced one of the greatest catches on day 1 in IPL 2026.
– Catch of Sunrisers Hyderabad Captain Ishan kishan.
– Royal Challengers Bengaluru Fielder, The Superman.
— MANU. (@IMManu_18) March 28, 2026
Phil Salt’s Moment of Magic
As the ball tracked toward the ropes, it seemed destined for four runs. Enter Phil Salt. Patrolling the deep, Salt had a significant ground to cover. Charging to his right with elite sprinting speed, he realized the ball was tailing away from him. In a move reminiscent of de Villiers’ “Superman” catch against SRH years ago, Salt launched himself into the air at full stretch.
With his body parallel to the turf, Salt stuck out his right hand. The ball stuck. The Chinnaswamy erupted into a deafening roar as Salt tumbled onto the grass, clutching the white nut tight.
A Game-Changing Wicket
The departure of Kishan, who had scored 80 off just 38, caught by Salt off Abhinandan, not only gave Abhinandan Singh, who was making his IPL debut, his prized scalp, but it also snapped a dangerous partnership that was threatening to bat RCB out of the game. For Salt, who is often praised for his explosive batting skills, this “one-handed screamer” was a reminder of his elite-level athleticism in the field. SRH finally finished on 201/9 after 20 overs of play and Kishan’s knock set the tone for it.
