VIDEO | ‘Acrobatic’ Aleem Dar showcases ballet-like jump to ‘leave’ the ball

12/13/2019

We have all seen the superb agility and defence of Steve Smith and Kane Williamson, and trust me if you thought that was the most graceful thing you have witnessed, then you’re wrong. Because umpire Aleem Dar will teach you how to ace the art of leaving the ball and in ballet style!

Mind you, in cricket, no one gauges the ball better than an umpire. While the advent and eventual settling down of DRS might have put a tiny question mark to the credibility of the think tanks, Dar has stood tall and did not let the review system anything on him. More often than not, to be fair.

And Dar’s abilities are not just limited to his mastermind and sharp eyes, but it extends to his entire body which he has shaped into the personification of flexibility. If you were astonished to see how Williamson dodged Jofra Archer’s ferocious bouncers with ease, Dar wouldn’t charm any less either.

With Travis Head getting comfortable in his own space, along with captain Tim Paine’s partnership, he decided to whack one of Wagner’s short balls in the 108th over. Head came forward and pulled it past towards the square leg, and the ball made its way smirking at Latham ducking at the forward short leg, where Dar was stood unperturbed.

When the ball came in the proximity of the umpire, he showcased incredible reflex and jumped out of the way with hands shying a little away from the attention position and his left leg in the air. Hence, creating ballet-like agility. Unfortunately for New Zealand, Raval was caught off guard and his dive behind the umpire was rendered futile as the ball smirked its way dancing to the boundary.