Joe Root once again reminded fans why he is regarded as one of the safest fielders in world cricket with a spectacular one-handed catch during The Hundred Men’s 2026 clash between Welsh Fire and Southern Brave. The England star produced a moment of brilliance in the field to send back Nikhil Chaudhary just when the Australian all-rounder was beginning to shift the momentum. Root’s athletic effort quickly went viral on social media, becoming one of the standout moments from the contest.

Joe Root pulls off stunning one-handed catch to remove Nikhil Chaudhary

The moment came during Southern Brave’s innings when Chaudhary attempted to continue his aggressive approach against Chris Woakes. After striking a couple of elegant boundaries in his brief stay, Chaudhary once again looked to drive on the up through the covers.

However, this time he failed to get the desired placement as the ball flew towards Root at cover. The former England Test captain reacted instantly, stretching to his right before completing a brilliant one-handed catch with excellent balance. Chaudhary’s entertaining knock came to an end for 19 off just 12 deliveries, including three boundaries, while Woakes picked up a crucial breakthrough for Welsh Fire.

Here’s the video:

Super-fast reactions from Joe Root 🤩#TheHundred pic.twitter.com/LIXApR5fEK

— The Hundred (@thehundred) July 22, 2026

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Phil Salt guides Welsh Fire to first win over Southern Brave

The stunning catch proved to be one of several key moments in Welsh Fire’s disciplined all-round performance. Asked to bowl first on a two-paced surface, the Fire restricted Southern Brave to 135/7 in their allotted 100 balls. David Miller top-scored with 44, while young batter Thomas Rew impressed with a fluent 41 in his maiden innings in the competition. Chris Woakes, Sam Cook and Marco Jansen kept the scoring under control with disciplined spells, making life difficult for the Brave batters throughout the innings.

In reply, Phil Salt anchored the chase with an unbeaten 47, sharing a crucial 49-run partnership with Rachin Ravindra. Although Welsh Fire lost a few quick wickets towards the end to make the finish slightly tense, Salt remained composed before sealing the victory with two balls to spare. The six-wicket triumph also marked Welsh Fire’s maiden victory over Southern Brave in the men’s competition, providing the perfect start to their 2026 campaign.

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