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Catches win you matches is quite a popular saying in cricket. The converse is true as well, dropping catches can lose you matches. Afghanistan got the most brutal lesson in the latter on Wednesday when Australia’s Glenn Maxwell pummeled and thrashed them into submission despite practically every part of his body cramping up halfway through his innings.
The history of the World Cup is filled with glorious performances in all departments of the game and at the same time, the intense pressure and sense of occasion that come in some moments can lead to some great players making some extraordinary mistakes. The most common of these tend to be mistakes in the field and specifically, dropped catches. With Maxwell’s innings making such a huge impact in the world of cricket, let’s take a look at five of the most costly dropped catches in the tournament’s history.
5. Herschelle Gibbs (South Africa) drops Steve Waugh (Australia) – 1999 World Cup Super Six
The 1999 World Cup is often presented as the epitome of South Africa’s tendency to lose at crucial moments in the World Cup regardless of how good a team they have, particularly in the way they lost the semi-final against Australia. Australia didn’t get off to a good start in their chase of 272 and their innings was steadied by captain Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting. Waugh was particularly aggressive and the score was 149/3 in 30 overs when he was dropped at midwicket by Herschelle Gibbs, considered one of the best fielders in the world at the time. Waugh went on to score 120 not out off 110 balls and Australia won that match. It was this win that allowed them to go through to the semi-finals, and the rest is history.
4. Marlon Samuels (West Indies) drops Martin Guptill (New Zealand) – 2015 World Cup quarterfinal
New Zealand batted first in this match in Wellington and just three balls into the first over, explosive opening batter Martin Guptill was dropped by Marlon Samuels at square leg. What happened next? Well, Guptill played through the innings and blasted 237 off 163 balls, New Zealand scored 393/6 and West Indies lost by 143 runs.
3. Misbah-ul-Haq (Pakistan) drops Sachin Tendulkar (India) – 2011 World Cup semi-final
There couldn’t be a bigger stage to put in a big performance than an India vs Pakistan knockout game in the World Cup – and conversely there couldn’t be a bigger stage for a big goof-up. Well, Pakistan dropped India great Sachin Tendulkar four times bowling first and the first of those probably set the tone. Tendulkar was on 27 when Misbah dropped him off the first ball of the 14th over. Tendulkar went on to score 85 and win the man of the match as India took the game by 29 runs.
2. Mujeeb ur Rahman (Afghanistan) drops Glenn Maxwell (Australia) – 2023 World Cup group stage
Unlike the other games in the list, this was no knockout match but it was a group game that potentially has huge implications on who reaches the semi-finals. Moreover, it led to one of the most extraordinary innings of all time in the history of international cricket, let alone the World Cup or ODI cricket. Australia had been reduced to 91/7 chasing 292 and Maxwell was in the middle with captain Pat Cummins. It was the fifth ball of the 22nd over and Maxwell was on 33 off 38 when he spooned one to Mujeeb at short fine leg. A straightforward catch, put down. Maxwell, as you would now know, went on to fight all kinds of cramps and was not out on 201 off 128 balls, leading Australia to one of the most extraordinary wins you would ever see.
1. Graham Gooch (England) drops Imran Khan (Pakistan) – 1992 World Cup final
The only reason why the Maxwell drop is not number one really is because back in 1992, England captain Graham Gooch possibly did the most literal version of (dropping the World Cup) by giving his opposite number Imran Khan a reprieve. Pakistan were batting first and Imran had got off to a slow start and he tried an aggressive shot against Phil DeFreitas. It flew up off a top edge, it was no straightforward catch and Gooch couldn’t hold on to it after diving. Imran was Pakistan’s highest scorer that day, making 72 in 110 and they went on to win the final by 22 runs. Thus sealing their first and thus far only World Cup title.
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