Why a fielder in the ground gradually pulls his hands backward while catching a fast moving cricket ball ?

When a fielder pulls his hands backward while catching a fast-moving cricket ball, he is increasing the time of contact between the ball and his hands. According to Newton's Second Law of Motion, the force exerted is equal to the rate of change of momentum. By extending the duration of the impact (Δt), the rate of change of momentum decreases, which significantly reduces the impulsive force experienced by the fielder's hands. This action prevents injury and makes the catch more comfortable by spreading the momentum change over a longer period. Since the options provided (reducing/increasing acceleration or increasing velocity) do not accurately describe the primary physical objective of reducing the impact force through increased contact time, 'None of above' is the most appropriate choice among the given options.