SMAT 2021: M Ashwin takes stunning leaping catch to dismiss Kerala's Sanju Samson; WATCH

In a fantastic display of athleticism while fielding during the Kerala vs Tamil Nadu, Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match, Tamil Nadu cricketer Murugan Ashwin was seen executing a leaping catch to dismiss Kerala skipper Sanju Samson. Batting first in the match, Kerala found themselves at 91/2 in the 12th over, as Rohan Kunnumal returned to the pavilion after scoring 51 runs off 43 balls.

Samson came in to bat at no.4 in the 12th over of Kerala’s innings and started his innings with a dot-ball and got dismissed, courtesy of Aswin’s catch in the very next ball.

Kerela skipper Sanju Samson returns for a duck-

As Samson looked to step out of his crease and hit the ball by Sanjay Yadav, the ball took an outside edge off Samson’s bat. Standing at the square of the wicket, the wrist-spinner Ashwin sprinted towards his left and made a forward dive to successfully catch the ball. Samson went back after scoring a rare duck, which provided Tamil Nadu with a chance to gain momentum in the match. However, Kerala fought their way back as Vishnu Vinod went on to score a 26 ball 65 at a strike rate of 250 with the help of seven sixes and two fours. Kerala finished at 187 runs, having lost five wickets in total.

Watch Murugan Ashwin's catch in the link given on BCCI's tweet-

Despite leaking runs at the end of the innings, Sanjay Yadav and Murugan Ashwin finished the match as the most economical bowlers for the team. Yadav returned with two important wickets for Tamil Nadu in the match, first of the half-centurion Rohan Kunnumal and then of Samson, while Ashwin dismissed Mohammed Azharuddeen. At the same time, chasing the challenging target of 188 runs, the entire Tamil Nadu batting line-up worked together to ensure they reach the semi-final of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. 

Sanjay Yadav's all-round performance during Kerala vs Tamil Nadu-

Sai Sardarshan top-scored with 46 off 31 balls, while Hari Nishaanth and Sanjay Yadav returned with equal individual scores of 32 runs in 22 balls. Shahrukh Khan and M Mohammed made sure the team crosses the winning mark as Tamil Nadu earned the victory with five wickets remaining in their hands with three balls left in the innings. By dismissing Samson and scoring important runs with the bat, Yadav became one of the top performers for the winning side, as they earned their semifinal seat.

(Image: bcci.tv)