India, Dec. 28 -- MI Cape Town's opening-night chase at Newlands had everything a modern T20 league sells: a record total, a blazing hundred, and sixes that landed deep into the crowd primed for theatre. But the moment that travelled fastest didn't come off a bat; it came off a catch in the stands.

A spectator pulled off a stunning one-handed take of a ball hit for xi and instantly became the headline act, pocketing Rand 2 million (roughly INR 1.08 crore) as a part of the league's fan-catch promotion.

The grab came when Ryan Rickelton launched a maximum during MI Cape Town's pursuit in the fourth ball of the 13th over. The ball found a fan who didn't just catch it, but caught it with one hand. That detail matters, because the promotion ...