India are on the brink of the T20 World Cup semi-finals, with one round of fixtures left in the league phase. A win against Australia on Sunday at Lord’s would take them into the final four, although South Africa could still disrupt the scenario if they secure a strong net run-rate boosting victory over Bangladesh.
But while qualification scenarios are mathematically favourable, India carry into the knockout race a pressing concern that has shadowed their campaign – their catching.
The Harmanpreet Kaur-led side have dropped 11 catches in the tournament, some at crucial junctures that have not just shifted momentum but also decided the eventual outcome.
The most costly example came against South Africa. Defending 158, India gave Marizanne Kapp two lives at key moments, and the all-rounder went on to anchor South Africa’s chase and took them home with six wickets in hand.
Catching concerns
Against Bangladesh on Thursday, the issue resurfaced again. India shelled four catches, including a sequence where three chances went down in the space of four deliveries inside the powerplay. While they recovered to secure victory, the passage again underlined a worrying lack of consistency in the field.
One name has repeatedly come up in the narrative, not as a point of blame but as part of a wider pattern. Radha Yadav has long been regarded as one of India’s best fielders, but at this World Cup, she has been involved in three of the seven dropped chances in the last two matches. She dropped two sitters at long-on after one at midwicket earlier.
After the five-wicket win over Bangladesh on Thursday, Radha addressed the lapses with honesty, framing them as part of the sport rather than a defining flaw. “I think it was just a bad day for me. I don’t have to talk about my fielding, I’ve done that in the past; I’ve taken some brilliant catches as well, so I have nothing to worry about – it’s just a bad day,” she said.
She also pointed to India’s commitment towards their fielding, emphasising that preparation has not been lacking. “Fielding is something we do with great enthusiasm. You will always see it in our fielding sessions – if you look, you’ll see we don’t leave a single catch there. It’s very rare, maybe in extremely tough cases. But fielding is something we’ve worked on for two to three years,” she added.
However, she acknowledged that external factors can play a role, particularly in day conditions with 2.30 pm starts under the glare of the sun. “I think it’s not really an excuse, but it was a bit difficult because of the sun. It was very difficult for those fielding on that side. So it happens – sometimes conditions also matter, and how you are feeling that day. Everyone is working hard. No one is just showing up on the ground,” she said.
Former India player and coach Sudha Shah said the issue could not be reduced to individuals or isolated errors. “I really can’t pinpoint a single reason,” Shah told The Indian Express. “Someone like Radha Yadav, who is one of the best fielders, dropped one catch – though she looks like she may be carrying an injury, I’m not too sure.”
She admitted the dropped chances would affect the bowlers and the team overall. “It is very demoralising to see India drop four catches in the first five overs. It is a big put-off for the bowlers and the side,” she said.
Shah also stressed that while the lapses are visible, they do not necessarily point to a lack of effort or intent. “These things can happen, but if it is happening quite often, then players need to be more alert and believe in themselves. We are a decent fielding side, but we need to work more on our fielding,” she added.
Growing pattern
The numbers, however, suggest a deeper structural concern. Since 2025, India have dropped 46 catches in 25 T20Is – the most by any team – with a catching efficiency of 69.3 percent, the second-lowest among the 12 teams in the competition. The pattern is not limited to T20Is either.
Even in their 50-over World Cup-winning campaign, India dropped 40 catches and misfielded 87 times, the highest by any side. More worrying for India is that these lapses are not confined to specific phases or conditions. They reflect a sustained trend at different stages of an innings, pointing to a recurring weakness.
Against a side like Australia on Sunday – one of the most efficient teams in world cricket – such margins could prove decisive. India still control their own destiny. But unless their catching improves, the semi-finals could be out of reach given their current levels.
