[WATCH]- Steve Smith’s Brilliant Slip Catch Sends Dunith Wellalage Packing In SL vs AUS 1st ODI 2025

Australia’s stand-in captain, Steve Smith, took a spectacular catch in the slips to dismiss Sri Lankan spinner Dunith Wellalage during the first ODI at R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Wednesday, February 12. Renowned for his sharp reflexes, Smith added another stunning catch to his collection.

Leading the side in Pat Cummins’ absence, Smith had an eventful day in the slips, with edges flying in all directions. Sri Lanka’s batters struggled against the fiery new-ball spells of Spencer Johnson and Aaron Hardie, frequently nicking deliveries behind.

Smith had already taken sharp catches to dismiss Avishka Fernando and Janith Liyanage, but his most spectacular moment came when he dived to pluck the ball out of the air, completing Wellalage’s dismissal off Matt Short’s bowling.

The part-time off-spinner, bowling from around the wicket, tossed up a flighted delivery near the off stump to challenge the left-handed batter. The ball gripped slightly, catching the outside edge. At first, it appeared as though it would sneak through the gap between the wicketkeeper and slip.

However, at the last moment, Smith shifted his weight and instinctively stretched out his hand, pulling off a stunning one-handed catch. You can watch the video here:

https://x.com/cricketcomau/status/1889564357169746042?s=46

Wellalage fell for 30 off 34 balls, leaving Sri Lanka at 122-6 in the 26th over. Smith’s stunning catch ended his crucial 67-run stand with skipper Charith Asalanka.

Steve Smith Takes Another One-Handed Stunner in Slips

Steve Smith reached a historic milestone in the second Test against Sri Lanka in Galle, securing his 200th Test catch. This achievement saw him equal Jacques Kallis’ tally, placing him joint-fourth on the all-time list.

During the match, he also pulled off a stunning low catch to dismiss skipper Dhananjaya de Silva off Matthew Kuhnemann’s bowling on Day 3, reacting swiftly to grab the ball just inches from the ground.

Get the latest cricket news here, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more such updates.