Proof that the worst dropped catch of 2019 wasn’t by a Pakistan fielder

You hear dropped catches or misfielding and your mind immediately drafts a silhouette of a Pakistani player. This particular instance of butterfingers is not their doing though.

England’s Joe Denly on Tuesday dropped what was arguably the easiest offering ever. Deployed at short midwicket against on the final day of the second Test against New Zealand, Denly was supposed to stop the single and gobble up any stray shots.

With Kane Williamson at 62, English pacer Jofra Archer changed his action, which extracted some extra bounce and surprised the Kiwi captain. The ball went straight to Denly who received it at knee height at gentle pace.

Archer had already started celebrating, only to see Denly inexplicably drop the ball. The misfield was so absurd, it drew a laugh from Archer when he should have been cursing his luck, if not Denly.

And just like that, Denly undid a year’s worth of comical efforts in the field by his Pakistani counterparts. It is pertinent to mention here that Denly played for Karachi Kings in the Pakistan Super League 2018. Perhaps, the ‘brilliance’ of the local lads rubbed off on him.