Watch: Ben Stokes produces one of the best World Cup catches you will ever see

Ben Stokes grabbed a stunner in World Cup 2019 opener against South Africa to dismiss Andile Phehlukwayo in the 35th over.

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Ben Stokes taking an absolute opener in World Cup 2019 opener (Source: Twitter)

Ben Stokes produced arguably one of the best World Cup catches that one can ever see. Stokes acrobatic skills were on their peak as he plucked one out of thin air to nullify Andile Phehlukwayo’s sweetly-timed sweep off Adil Rashid’s bowling on Thursday.

That, right there, is one of the best catches you will ever see from Ben Stokes. #CWC19 #ENGvSA #ENGvsRSA #WorldCup2019 #ICCWorldCup2019 #ICCWC2019 pic.twitter.com/hQLOUydrKD

— Michael Randall (@MickRandallHS) 30 May 2019

Phehlukwayo had hit the ball with the spin as it travelled at great speed. Stokes, at deep mid-wicket position, was standing a few steps inside the boundary. In normal circumstances, the ball would have gone over the fielder’s head but Stokes timed his dive to perfection and grabbed a one-handed stunner with a reverse cup to stun the crowd.

Nah Ben Stokes, that ain’t normal.

That. Ain’t. Normalpic.twitter.com/EEsLReicFU #CWC19

— Vithushan Ehantharajah (@Vitu_E) 30 May 2019

The jaw-dropping catch soon caught the attention of Twitterati as they expressed their amazement:

First day of the World Cup and we might have seen the catch of the tournament! #BenStokes

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) 30 May 2019

Catch of the tournament….Ben Stokes might turn out to be both—The Catch and the one who’s taken the beat catch. #CWC19 #BenStokes #EngvSA

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) 30 May 2019

Was that a CATCH or a SNATCH?

Unnnn-real stuff from @benstokes38! #HallaBol #CWC19 #ENGvSA pic.twitter.com/QIuMdQ6j7L

— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) 30 May 2019

Ben Stokes has just taken one of the greatest catches you will EVER see!

Video coming soon #WeAreEngland #CWC19 pic.twitter.com/7wZtHdyWrP

— ICC (@ICC) 30 May 2019

Inject this catch from Ben Stokes into my veins and I will live forever #ENGvSA #CricketWorldCup #CWC19 pic.twitter.com/gf4oifzlze

— Guy Morris (@Guy_Morris) 30 May 2019

BEN STOKES. pic.twitter.com/sfgkhgcFID

— Ben Duckett (@BenDuckett1) 30 May 2019

Amazing how “boundary riding” has become fielding focus in the modern game – only time @hershybru and I ever left the inner ring was to chase the ball down en route to the rope!!!! https://t.co/lKBmJHOUT3

— Jonty Rhodes (@JontyRhodes8) 30 May 2019

Reflectin on his effort Stokes spoke at the post-match conference and said, ” I was a little further in than I should have been. I panicked a bit I guess but it stuck. I shouldn’t have been there (initially) and it was probably a regulation catch but I was in the wrong position.”

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Earlier, the 27-year-old top-scored for England in the first innings. He missed out on a well-deserved century. He got dismissed trying to play a reverse sweep off Lungi Ngidi’s bowling in the 49th over. He scored 89 runs from 79 deliveries including nine fours.

He also stitched a 106-run partnership with skipper Eoin Morgan for the fourth wicket. The swashbuckling all-rounder held on to one end as wickets kept tumbling on the other. He got out only after ensuring that the hosts breach the 300-run mark at Kennington Oval, London.

Later on, Morgan handed the ball to Stokes right after he took the catch and he repaid the skipper’s faith by mopping up the tail and help his side win by 104 runs.