Watch: Manish Pandey takes the best catch in Indian domestic cricket

Mumbai were playing Karnataka in the final match of the Ranji Trophy 2010. In the second innings Mumbai were batting good to set Karnataka the target. The previous record suggested the southern team had never beaten the Island team who were a record 38 times champion then.

Manish Pandey literally flew in the air for a few seconds, his body and mind worked together to defy gravity and he pulled off a real blinder. We have never seen a more athletic effort in Indian domestic cricket. Manish Pandey took the best catch in Indian domestic Ranji Trophy cricket with this one.

Karnataka were set the tallest target to chase and win the Ranji title. Manish who had already taken this amazing catch in the air when held the bat was unstoppable.

Mumbai bowlers for most part of the chase has no ball beating him. Virtually nothing went to the wicket keeper and even respectable deliveries were put to the boundary.

He batted as composed against the pacers as much as he did when the spinners were operating. The Karnataka fans were singing and dancing joy as Mumbai bowlers were given a beating by this young lad.

Dhawal Kulkarni, Ajith Agarkar, Ramesh Powar, Iqbal Abdulla were all tried by the skipper Wasim Jaffer. In the end as the chase looked set for a finish in favor of Karnataka Pandey fell to Jaffer’s ploy as he got out to an Abdulla delivery after hitting him for a four in the same over.

As soon as the centurion returned to the pavilion things and fortune’s changed and swung in Mumbai’s favor.

No other batsmen batted responsibly enough to seize the advantage created by the marvelous knock Pandey hit, which deserved the Man of the Match award. But, it looked to be destined and Mumbai had their 39th Ranji Trophy title in the bag. Though Karnataka lost to Mumbai the young boy Manish Pandey made his mark and earned respect from the cricketing universe.