PSL has always been an exciting tournament for its audience. One moment the batter is hitting on the ball, and the other moment, he is restricted by the fielder from scoring the runs. A domestic league, PSL has reached significant success also because of its exceptional fielders. PSL’s 2024 season 9 will start soon; here is the list of the Top 11 Fielders in PSL History with the most catches in PSL.
Fielding can change the direction of the match. A good fielder has the role of restricting the batter from making runs. A crucial match depends on excellent fielding by a fielder to defeat the opponent team. A player can only be a good fielder if he has a mastery of fielding skills.
This guide will discuss the Top 11 Best Fielders in PSL History with the most catches in PSL.
Top 11 Best Fielders in PSL History With Most Catches
Pakistan was always known for its poor fielding, but the players have improved their fielding over time. With the onset of PSL Teams, many players’ hidden talent has been unveiled, and they have emerged as good fielders.
In the T20 format like PSL, it becomes compulsory for the batter to hit the highest runs by scoring sixes and runs. So, a fielder should be proficient enough to limit the batter from scoring sixes and boundaries. Fielding in cricket requires a range of skills.
The fielding evaluation points are decided on the following criteria:
- Runs saved (+1)
- Runs missed (-1)
- Grade 1 (+5)
- Grade 1 – Dropped (-20)
- Grade 2 (+10)
- Grade 2 – Dropped (-10)
- Grade 3 (+20)
- Grade 3 – Dropped (-5)
- Stumping (+5)
- Wicketkeeper Grade 1 – Dropped (-50)
- Missed stumping (-10)
- Wicketkeeper fumble (-5)
- Wicketkeeper poor gather from throws (-1)
- Direct hit run-out (+15)
- Run-out (+5)
- Run-out missed (-5)
- Bad throw (-1)
- Terrible throw resulting in run-out (-20)
- Good throw resulting in run-out (+5)
Most catches in PSL History
It’s always thrilling to witness a fielder catching a ball and the batter getting out. It changes the atmosphere of the game. It is a pleasant change for one team, but it calls for a terrible defeat for the opponent team. The following list shows the most catches in PSL history.
Most Catches
| Fielder | Team(s) | Matches | Catches | Period |
| Mohammad Nawaz | QG | 61 | 32 | 2016–2021 |
| Babar Azam | IU, KK | 58 | 30 | 2016–2021 |
| Kieron Pollard | KK, MS, PZ | 33 | 24 | 2017–2019 |
| Mohammad Hafeez | LQ, PZ | 58 | 23 | 2016–2021 |
| Asif Ali | IU | 50 | 65 | 2016–2021 |
Most Catches in a Season
| Fielder Name | Team | No of Matches | Catches | PSL Season |
| Fakhar Zaman | LQ | 12 | 10 | 2020 |
| Kieron Pollard | PZ | 13 | 2019 | |
| Iftikhar Ahmed | IU | 12 | 9 | 2021 |
| Mohammad Nawaz | QG | 9 | 8 | 2020 |
| JP Duminy | IU | 10 | 2018 |
Most Catches in an Innings
| Match Date | Fielder Name and Teams | Innings | Catches | Opponent | PSL Season |
| 19 Feb | Ravi Bopara (KK) | 2 | 4 | PZ | 2017 |
| 26 Feb | Kieron Pollard (KK) | 1 | IU | 2017 | |
| 14 Mar | Babar Azam (KK) | 2 | IU | 2019 | |
| 4 Feb | Mohammad Nabi (QG) | 1 | 3 | IU | 2016 |
| 7 Feb | Mohammad Nawaz (QG) | 1 | PZ | 2016 |
Most Catches Taken in PSL 2022
| Sr | Player | Catches | M | Inn | Overs | Wkts | Ave | Eco |
| 1 | Tim David (MS) | 10 | 11 | 3 | 4.0 | 1 | 38.00 | 9.50 |
| 2 | Babar Azam (KK) | 9 | 10 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | – | |
| 3 | Iftikhar Ahmed (QG) | 9 | 10 | 8 | 9.3 | 2 | 46.00 | 9.89 |
| 4 | Ben Cutting (PZ) | 8 | 9 | 3 | 6.5 | 1 | 68.00 | 10.46 |
| 5 | Fakhar Zaman (LQ) | 8 | 13 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | – | |
| 6 | Abdullah Shafique (LQ) | 7 | 11 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | – | |
| 7 | Shahnawaz Dahani (MS) | 7 | 11 | 11 | 36.0 | 17 | 19.76 | 9.33 |
| 8 | Asif Ali (IU) | 7 | 12 | 1 | 3.0 | 2 | 13.50 | 9.00 |
| 9 | Khushdil Shah (MS) | 7 | 12 | 12 | 32.2 | 16 | 13.93 | 6.92 |
| 10 | Mohammad Rizwan (MS) | 7 | 12 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | – | |
| 11 | Shan Masood (MS) | 7 | 12 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | – | |
| 12 | Shaheen Afridi (LQ) | 7 | 13 | 13 | 52.0 | 20 | 19.70 | 7.57 |
| 13 | Lewis Gregory (KK) | 6 | 7 | 6 | 14.0 | 1 | 127.00 | 9.07 |
| 14 | Azam Khan (IU) | 6 | 12 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | – | |
| 15 | Haris Rauf (LQ) | 6 | 13 | 13 | 51.4 | 16 | 29.37 | 9.14 |
| 16 | Anwar Ali (MS) | 5 | 4 | 4 | 9.0 | 2 | 39.50 | 8.77 |
| 17 | Mohammad Haris (PZ) | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | – | |
| 18 | Shadab Khan (IU) | 5 | 9 | 8 | 32.0 | 19 | 10.89 | 6.46 |
| 19 | Harry Brook (LQ) | 5 | 10 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | – | |
| 20 | Shoaib Malik (PZ) | 5 | 11 | 7 | 11.0 | 3 | 24.00 | 6.54 |
Muhammad Nawaz
One of the best all-rounders of Pakistan and PSL, Muhammad Nawaz, has always helped his team with the bat and ball and takes brilliant catches as a fielder. He has proved an essential player for Quetta Gladiators up till now.
Muhammad Nawaz started his PSL career with the Quetta Gladiators in 2016. From 2016-2021, Muhammad Nawaz limits the batter’s batting by taking thirty-two catches in sixty-one innings for Quetta Gladiators topping the list in holding the record for most catches in PSL.
The highest number of catches in a single inning for Muhammad Nawaz came in 2016. Muhammad Nawaz took three catches for his side in the match between Quetta Gladiators and Peshawar Zalmi. His performance beats four big names, Shane Watson, Babar Azam, Sam Billings, and Imran Khalid.
In PSL 2018/19, Muhammad Nawaz took eight catches to be placed among the players who took the most catches in a series. He is indeed the top fielder with the most catches for Quetta.
Mohammad Nawaz PSL Fielding Cricket Records
| Innings | Both | 1st | 2nd |
| Matches | 61 | 38 | 23 |
| Catch | 32 | 23 | 9 |
| Stumping | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Direct Throw(RO) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Throw(RO) | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Receiver(RO) | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Babar Azam
One of the crucial players for Karachi Kings in PSL, Babar Azam is not only a skillful batter; he is also a top fielder. He has made his name with his power-packed fielding skills in PSL. Babar will be captaining Peshawar Zalmi in the upcoming PSL 8.
Starting his career with Islamabad United, Babar Azam got limelight with his remarkable performance when Karachi Kings appointed him. Being the captain and star player of Karachi Kings, he has given safe hands to thirty balls that have gone up in the air in the six editions of PSL. He is the second-highest catch-taker in PSL history.
Babar Azam took four catches in a single inning in the match between Karachi Kings and Islamabad United in 2019. In PSL editions 4 and 5, Babar Azam took eight catches in twelve innings. Babar Azam deserves to be on the fielder’s list with the most catches. Babar is also in the Top 5 Most Expensive Players of PSL.
Babar Azam PSL Fielding Cricket Records
| Innings | Both | 1st | 2nd |
| Matches | 64 | 33 | 31 |
| Catch | 38 | 26 | 12 |
| Stumping | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Direct Throw(RO) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Throw(RO) | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Receiver(RO) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Tim David
A powerful ball hitter, Tim David is an Australian cricketer. Tim is a reliable fielder in the deep at long-on or mid-wicket. Cricket is a mastery of batting, bowling, and fielding, and Tim thoroughly knows how to change the game in crucial moments.
In the 2021 Pakistan Super League, David was signed by the Lahore Qalandars as a replacement for Joe Burns. In the 2022 Pakistan Super League, David was signed by reigning champions Multan Sultans.
In PSL 2022, Tim David’s name shines bright as he leads the list of the top fielders of PSL. In his exceptional fielding performance representing Multan Sultan on Pakistani grounds, he collected 10 catches in 11 matches. He is honored for being the top fielder in PSL 7.
Tim David PSL Fielding Cricket Records
| Innings | Both | 1st | 2nd |
| Matches | 6 | 5 | 1 |
| Catch | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| Stumping | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Direct Throw(RO) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Throw(RO) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Receiver(RO) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Kieron Pollard
West Indian all-rounder Kieron Pollard, recognized for his impactful catching talents worldwide, is the third player with the most catches in PSL matches from 2017 to 2019.
Kieron Pollard has represented three PSL franchises, including Karachi Kings, Multan Sultans, and Peshawar Zalmi, from 2017-2019. He has proved an exceptional fielder for Peshawar Zalmi as he turned the game in his team’s favor by fielding at its best.
In thirty-two PSL matches, Pollard has taken twenty-four successful catches. He will always be remembered as the first international player of PSL to have taken these many catches. The highest catch record for Pollard is three in an inning. They were taken when Pollard represented Zalmi and was up against Islamabad United in 2019 in Karachi.
Pollard took ten brilliant catches in the PSL edition of 2018/19 in thirteen innings. He has a catch-per-inning ratio of 0.769. Undoubtedly, Kieron Pollard deserves a spot in the top PSL fielders with the most catches.
Read also about: Mumbai Indians Great Kieron Pollard Has Become Mumbai Indians Batting Coach IPL 2023
Kieron Pollard PSL Fielding Cricket Records
| Innings | Both | 1st | 2nd |
| Matches | 13 | 7 | 6 |
| Catch | 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Stumping | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Direct Throw(RO) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Throw(RO) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Receiver(RO) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Muhammad Hafeez
One of the finest players of the Pakistan Cricket Team, Muhammad Hafeez is an excellent all-rounder for Pakistan and in PSL but has some extraordinary fielding skills that brought his name among the top fielders of the PSL.
Hafeez has played six editions of PSL till now, representing Peshawar Zalmi and Lahore Qalandars. Hafeez safely restricts the batter from scoring the highest runs in these editions by taking twenty-three catches in fifty-seven matches.
Hafeez’s highest number of catches in a single inning sits at number three. Hafeez took these catches in an exciting match between Lahore Qalandars and Quetta Gladiators. Lahore had a fantastic win over Quetta. In PSL of 2019/20 and 2020/21, Muhammad Hafeez was the third-highest catch-taker for Qalandars with six catches.
Mohammad Hafeez PSL Fielding Cricket Records
| Innings | Both | 1st | 2nd |
| Matches | 38 | 19 | 19 |
| Catch | 13 | 6 | 7 |
| Stumping | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Direct Throw(RO) | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Throw(RO) | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Receiver(RO) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Asif Ali
Islamabad United is blessed to have a phenomenal player; Asif Ali is an explosive batsman and an experienced fielder. He holds the record for the fifth player with the most catches in PSL history.
Asif Ali has served six years in PSL for Islamabad United. In these six editions, Asif Ali has played fifty-five matches, and collected twenty-two catches. Asif Ali has taken a maximum of two catches in an inning. In PSL 2016/17, Asif Ali took six catches for Islamabad United in the tournament.
Asif Ali is an excellent asset for United and has a knack for catching the balls hit by the batters. He is an exceptional fielder who takes catches at critical moments.
Asif Ali PSL Fielding Cricket Records
| Innings | Both | 1st | 2nd |
| Matches | 11 | 6 | 5 |
| Catch | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Stumping | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Direct Throw(RO) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Throw(RO) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Receiver(RO) | 2 | 2 | 0 |
Fakhar Zaman
Pakistan’s top-order batsman, Fakhar Zaman, is also a great fielder. He has played for the national side and represented Lahore Qalandars in the PSL T20 league.
Fakhar Zaman has played five seasons of PSL from 2017-2021 for Lahore Qalandars. Not in a single inning has he disappointed them when taking catches. He knows how to break the temperament of a batsman hitting on the ball. For his team Fakhar Zaman has taken twenty-one catches in fifty innings.
Another achievement in fielding for Fakhar is that he is ranked as the topper in the category of taking the most catches in a series. In PSL 4 and 5, Fakhar scored ten catches in twelve matches.
With a catch-per-inning ratio of 0.833, Fakhar Zaman is one of the top fielders with the most catches in PSL.
Fakhar Zaman PSL Fielding Cricket Records
| Innings | Both | 1st | 2nd |
| Matches | 56 | 26 | 30 |
| Catch | 27 | 10 | 17 |
| Stumping | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Direct Throw(RO) | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Throw(RO) | 5 | 1 | 4 |
| Receiver(RO) | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Ahmed Shehzad
Pakistan cricket board has brought some of the finest players to the PSL. Every year when these players perform, many people cheer for them because of their significant performance. Ahmed Shahzad, Pakistan’s former top-order batsman, is one of those players who have excelled the fielding skills while playing in PSL.
Shehzad has represented two PSL teams in the last six editions; Multan Sultans and Quetta Gladiators. He holds the record for taking twenty catches in forty-four innings.
In PSL of 2017/18, when Shehzad played for Multan, he proved to be an excellent fielder. In just nine innings, Shehzad took seven catches for his team.
Ahmed Shehzad PSL Fielding Cricket Records
| Innings | Both | 1st | 2nd |
| Matches | 7 | 5 | 2 |
| Catch | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Stumping | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Direct Throw(RO) | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Throw(RO) | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Receiver(RO) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Umar Akmal
The Akmal brothers have once represented Pakistan, not on the national level but at the international level. Umar Akmal is an ex-Pakistan cricket player with excellent batting and fielding records.
Umar Akmal played PSL from 2016-2019 representing Lahore Qalandars and Quetta Gladiators. He has an impressive fielding performance in all the editions of PSL. In thirty-one innings, Umar Akmal has successfully taken nineteen catches.
During the first edition of PSL, played in UAE, Umar proved to be an exceptional fielder for Lahore Qalandars. In seven innings, he took seven catches and had a Ct/Inn of 1.00.
Umar Akmal PSL Fielding Cricket Records
| Innings | Both | 1st | 2nd |
| Matches | 17 | 11 | 6 |
| Catch | 6 | 5 | 1 |
| Stumping | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Direct Throw(RO) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Throw(RO) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Receiver(RO) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Wahab Riaz
A well-renowned and reliable cricket player, Wahab Riaz’s cricket career is shining brightly with his excellent performance as a batter, a bowler, and a fielder. He has come victorious in every domain of cricket.
He is regarded as one of the top bowlers in Pakistan. It is Wahab’s speciality when he is not bowling, he becomes the best fielder, and in the perfect timing, he secures the ball in his hands hit by the opponent batter.
Wahab Riaz has shown remarkable performances in PSL. He is the highest wicket-taker for Peshawar Zalmi in PSL and has also taken nineteen stunning catches. His achievement of catches comes in sixty-six matches.
In the match between Zalmi and United on Feb 28, 2018, Wahab took three catches in an innings. The best fielding and the most catches from Riaz came in PSL 2016/2017. In that tournament, Wahab took six catches in just nine innings.
Wahab is an immensely talented player and is one of the top fielders with the most catches for Peshawar.
Wahab Riaz PSL Fielding Cricket Records
| Innings | Both | 1st | 2nd |
| Matches | 73 | 38 | 35 |
| Catch | 20 | 10 | 10 |
| Stumping | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Direct Throw(RO) | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| Throw(RO) | 5 | 4 | 1 |
| Receiver(RO) | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Chris Jordan
A good player is always in demand. The same goes for England pacer Chris Jordan. He is a star with the ball and completely knows how to tackle the shot made by the batter. For his English team, he has produced magnificent performances.
Jordan has been a part of Peshawar Zalmi and Karachi Kings from 2017-2021. He has played only twenty-two matches. In all these innings, Jordan has taken eighteen catches. On 6th March 2020, Jordan took three catches in a single inning in the match between Karachi and Sultans.
In PSL 2nd edition, Chris Jordan was at his peak of excellence for Peshawar Zalmi. He handled the balls masterly and took six catches in six innings. Not only this but in PSL 5 and 6, Chris Jordan will again be remembered by his fans for his phenomenal fielding performance. In nine innings, Jordan took six catches.
Chris Jordan adds so much value to the team and is a top fielder in PSL.
Chris Jordan PSL Fielding Cricket Records
| Innings | Both | 1st | 2nd |
| Matches | 14 | 9 | 5 |
| Catch | 7 | 5 | 2 |
| Stumping | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Direct Throw(RO) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Throw(RO) | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Receiver(RO) | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Summary
Fielding is a god-gifted skill, but if done with full attention and practice, one can master it. Selectors and coaches will also be looking for the best fielders in PSL Draft 2024. Tackling the ball is a must for a fielder on the cricketing battlefield. Catches add value to the games and make them more exciting. Above mentioned players are a few of many players who have taken brilliant catches for their respective teams throughout PSL history. These players are ranked as the Top 11 Fielders With the Most Catches In PSL.
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