In the third and final Australia and Pakistan at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart, Shaheen Afridi produced a moment of brilliance with an extraordinary?? helic?opter shot that left cricket fans in awe.

Shaheen Afridi’s helicopter shot dazzles in Hobart

The Pakistani pacer displayed his batting prowess in the 16th over, dispatching Australian all-rounder Aaron Hardie‘s delivery to the boundary with a powerful helicopter shot through midwicket. Although slightly off-target, Hardie’s near-yorker length ball was punished by Afridi’s audacious stroke, drawing comparisons to MS Dhoni‘s iconic helicopter shot.

Here is the video:

🚁#AUSvPAK pic.twitter.com/wPxpCu9YZf

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 18, 2024

Afridi’s promising cameo came to an unfortunate end in the 17th over. Facing a well-directed slower bouncer from Xavier Bartlett, Afridi attempted to pull but ended up gloving the ball to wicketkeeper Josh Inglis. He scored 16 runs off 12 balls, including two fours and a six. To add to his misfortune, Afridi sustained a painful finger injury while being dismissed and had to walk off in discomfort. He also made an impact with the ball. The left-arm pacer dismissed Australian opener Matthew Short early in the chase, giving Pakistan a glimmer of hope. However, his contributions ultimately couldn’t change the outcome of the match.

Also READ: AUS? vs PAK: Babar Azam surpasses Virat ?Kohli to achieve a significant milestone in T20Is

Australia’s dominance in the T20I series

Pakistan, having opted to bat first after winning the toss, failed to build momentum and were bundled out for a paltry total of 117 in 19 overs. The batting lineup struggled against Australia’s disciplined bowling attack, leaving them with an uphill task to defend their total.

In response, Australia comfortably chased down the target of 118 in just 11.2 overs, securing a seven-wicket victory and completing a 3-0 series whitewash. Marcus Stoinis played a scintillating knock, smashing 61 runs off just 27 deliveries, including five fours and five toweri?ng sixes. His explosive innings, at a strike rate of 225.93, earned him the well-des??erved Player of the Match award.

Also READ: 3 teams that can target Adam Zamp??a in the IPL 2025 ??mega auction

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In a thrilling display of power-hitting, Team India keeper-batter Rishabh Pant channeled MS Dhoni’s iconic helicopter shot ?during the first T20I of the three-match series against Sri Lanka at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium. The match saw India clinch a 43-run victory, setting a strong tone for the series.

Rishabh Pant does a MS Dhoni

In the 16th over of India’s innings, Pant executed the helicopter shot against right-arm pacer Asitha Fernando. Attempting a wide yorker, Fernando misjudged and delivered a full toss at a comfortable length. Seizing the opportunity, Pan??t positioned himself perfectly and launched the ball into the stands on the on-side, much to the delight of the crowd.

Here’s the video:

Wicket-keepers and their love for helicopter?s 😉?? 🚁

Watch the action from #SLvIND LIVE now on Sony Sports Ten 1, Sony Sports Ten 3, Sony Sports Ten 4 & Sony Sports Ten 5 📺 🤩#SonySportsNetwork #TeamIndia | @RishabhPant17 pic.twitter.com/Bbu7kjje70

— Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) July 27, 2024

Pant’s explosive innings of 49 runs off 33 balls included one six and 6 fours. This performance marked a return to form for Pant, who had struggled with scores of 0, 4, and 15 in the 2024 T20 World Cup. His 76-run partnership with captain Suryakumar Yadav for the third wicket was crucial in building India’s formidable total.

Also READ: Former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar takes an indirect dig at Indian he??ad coach Gautam Gambhi??r

Comprehensive win for Team India

During his knock, Pant also reached a significant milestone, completing 5,000 runs in T20 cricket. His resurgence was a welcome boost for India, who posted a commanding 213/7 in their 20 overs. Yadav contributed significantly with a solid 58 off just 26 balls, while Sri Lanka’s Matheesha Pathirana was the standout bowler, taking 4/40.

In response, Sri Lanka were restricted to just 170 in 19.2 overs, falling short by 43 runs. Pathum Nissanka (79 off 48) and Kusal Perera (45 off 27) provided the home team a solid start but after Mendis’ dismissal in the ninth over, Indian bowlers dominated. Riyan Parag shone with figures of 3-5, while Arshdeep Singh and Axar Patel chipped in with 2-24 and 2-38, respectively.

The second T20I will be played at the sam??e venue in Pallekele on Sunday, July 27.

Also READ: SL vs IND, 2nd T20I – Match Prediction, Dream11 Team, Fantasy Tips & Pitch Report | Sri Lanka vs India 2024

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Defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are gearing up for the commencement of the 17th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) with a highly anticipated clash against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on March 22. The electrifying match is scheduled to take place at the iconic MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, renowned as the home ground of? the five-time champions CSK.

MS Dhoni leads CSK’s preparations

In preparation for the season opener, players from both teams have intensified their training regimes to ensure a formidable start to their campaign. Leading from the front, CSK captain MS Dhoni has commenced his preparations, offering glim?pses of his batting strategy for the 2024 edition of the?? lucrative league.

Reviving the Helicopter shot

During a recent training session, Dhoni showcased his vintage form by executing his trademark ‘helicopter’ shot with finesse. Sporting his iconic long hair, Dhoni exhibited exceptional touch in the nets, delighting fans and teammates alike. Batting coach Michael Hussey closely monitored Dhoni’s performance, acknowledging the skipper’s prowess with the bat.

A video capturing Dhoni’s masterful display in the nets has circulated widely on social media platforms. The footage captures the legendary wicketkeeper-batsman effortlessly executing the helicopter shot, while Hussey provides valuable insights into his batting technique.

Also READ: IPL 2024 – Salary of Chennai Super Kings players; check out how much MS Dhoni & Ravindra Jadeja earn

Here is the video:

MS Dhoni practicing helicopter shot ahead of #IPL2024 pic.twitter.com/pf5fPw6STf

— IPL (@WatchIPLvideos) March 20, 2024

Speculations surrounding Dhoni’s future

Amidst speculation regarding the possibility of this being Dhoni’s final IPL season, the veteran cricketer appears determined to make it a memorable one for himself and his vast fanbase across the nation. Following a knee surgery at Kokilaben Hospital in Mumbai last year, Dhoni dedicated himself to rigorous fitness routines to prepare for the upcoming season.

Expectations from MSD

Having played through the previous season with a knee injury, Dhoni admir??ably led CSK to their joint-most fifth title. However, fans are eager for the veteran stumper to potentially move up the batting order, allowing them to relish his batting prowess for an extended duration.

Also READ: IPL 2024 – Former CSK opener Michael Hussey names Devon Conway’s replacement at the top

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Mumbai Indians (MI) didn’t have a good start to the 16th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) as they were handed an eight-wicket defeat by Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in their first game on Sunday (April 2).

Asked to bat first, MI got off to a very poor start and lost four of their batters with just 48 runs on the board. When it almost felt like the Mumbai-based team would be restricted to a below-par total of 120-130, Tilak Varma powered MI to a competitive score of 171/7 in 20 overs through his brilliant 84 runs off 46 balls. During his knock, Tilak smashed thirteen boundaries which included four sixes. One of those maximums by the 20-year-old came off Harshal Patel in the last ball of the first innings.

On the sixth ball of the 20th over, Tilak struck a helicopter shot off a fuller delivery by Harshal that cleared the long-on and went straight for a six. The stroke by the left-handed batter soon became a major talking point on social media, and cricket enthusiasts even termed it a replica of legendary MS Dhoni’s helicopter shot.

Here’s the video:

#tilakverma helicopter shot pic.twitter.com/qSSKis2hMl

— Gopal Prajapat (@GopalPr04669526) April 2, 2023

However, despite Tilak’s brilliant effort, MI failed to defend the total and ended up on the losing side. Faf du Plessis an??d Virat Kohli were the picks?? of the batters for RCB, wh??o guided their team to a convincing eight-wicket vict??ory by scoring 72 and 82 runs, respectively.

Speaking about Tilak’s knock on the Star Sports after the match, former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif said that if you watch the MI batter’s helicopt?er shot through a mirror, yo?u will feel it is Dhoni.

“Leg side is his strong suit. He uses his bottom hand but he makes room as well, hits sixes straight down the ground and plays the scoop shot. So it is not that he can only score on the leg side. The helicopter shot – if you watch it through a mirror, you will feel it is MS Dhoni because you will see him as a right-hander there,” said Kaif.

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On Sunday (January 15), India defeated Sri Lanka in the third and final ODI by record 317 runs and whitewashed the visitors in the three-match series.

India’s star batter Virat Kohli scored his 46th ODI century at the Greenfield International Stadium at Thiruvananthapuram ??and helped the? Men in Blue in clinching the series.

In his match-winning knock of 166, Kohli smashed eight sixes and thirteen fours. The 34-year-old batter built a 131-run partnership with Shubman Gill, who scored 116 off 97 balls.

During his blazing century, Kohli hit MS Dhoni-like helicopter shot and was heard yelling ‘Mahi Shot�?to his partner Shreyas Iyer. The incident took place on the third ball of the 46th over when Kohli hit the Sri Lankan pacer Kasun Rajitha for a maximum.

Going down the track, Kohli executed a full-fledged Dhoni-style helicopter shot off Rajitha to send the ball into the stands for a huge 97-metre six. The shot by the right-handed batter became a major talking point on social media, and the fans were thrilled to see the ‘Mahi touch’ in his ton.

//twit??ter.com/its_manu01/stat??us/1614610878539911179

📹 Mighty Maximum – a 97m SIX from Virat Kohli 👀👀

Live – //t.co/q4nA9Ff9Q2 #INDvSL @mastercardindia pic.twitter.com/R3CzXTWBT5

— BCCI (@BCCI) January 15, 2023

?Before getting to his hundred, Kohli just had hit one six, but he went beast mode after reaching the three-figure mark and added seven more to his tally. It was the fifth time that he went past the 150-run mark in the 50-overs format. The Delhi-born cricketer was the top scorer for?? India in the three-match rubber with 283 runs.

In the post-match presentation, Kohli revealed that he only plays for the right reasons and ha??s no desperation to reach any miles?tone.

“Mindset is always to help the team win, bat for as long as possible and if you do that, you end up making a difference. I have always played for the right reasons, help the team as much as possible. It is just intent, playing for the right reasons. Ever since I came back from the long break, I have been feeling good. I don’t have that desperation to get to a milestone,” said Kohli.

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One of the popular innovative shot of modern-day cricket is the ‘helicopter’ shot popularised by former Indian skipper and power-striker MS Dhoni. Brilliant hand-eye coordination, supreme b??ack-hand power and the ability to anticipate the length of the ball are the key ingredients behind playing a successful helicopter hit.

Although, after MSD, many batters tried executi??ng this high-risk shot, but nobody came close to the perfection of the Ranchi-born superstar.

However, not many fans know that much before Dhoni made the helicopter shot famous, former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin had, in fact, played the simila?r shot to punish the bowlers during his time.

Regarded as one the finest batsman and leader to have ever played the game, Azharuddin had once taken South Africa all-rounder Lance Klusener? to the cleaners, smashing him five back-to-back boundaries including the helicopter shot.

It all happened during the second Test between India and South Africa?? in 1996 at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolk??ata. Azhar was in his mood and slammed consecutive five fours to reach his century.

After hitting two boundaries in the over bowled by Klusener, Azharuddin went for a helicopter to dispatch the next delivery. The bowler bowled a yorker, but the Hyderabadi ?batter guided it towards mid-wicket for a boundary. He then smashed two more fours to make it five in a row.

Azharuddin slammed 10?9 off 77 balls at a phenomenal strike rate of 141.55 with the help of 18 fours and ??a six.

Here is the video:

Classic Azhar pic.twitter.com/DeRJjfQlzl

— Stone Cold (@StoneCo06301258) May 15, 2021

Azharuddin? was one of the finest captains in the history of Indian cricket. He led Team India in as many as three ODI World Cups. The right-hander, who made his international debut in England in 1985, captained Ind?ia in 221 matches across formats.

Azhar appeared in 99 Tests and 334 ODIs, accumulating 6215 and 9378 ??ru?ns, respectively. He also has 29 hundreds and 79 half-centuries to his name in international cricket.

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The Indian cricket team captain, Virat Kohli, is back with his squad after taking a paternity leave during India’s tour of Australia. The Indian team has completed the mandatory six days of the quarantine before stepping out for practice sessions.

On Tuesday, the official Twitter account of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) shared a video of the team practising at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai for the first Test against England, starting from Friday (February 05).

In the ?video skipper Kohli could be seen having fun while playing football with his teammates. It was during this session, the-32-year did something which attracted the attention of many fans.

Around the 26 second mark of the video, Kohli could be seen shadow-practising one of the top-selling shots in the fascinating game’s history – the ‘Helicopter Shot’. Not to mention, the ‘Helicopter Shot’ was commercialized by none other than the former India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Here is the video:

Team bonding 🤜🤛
Regroup after quarantine �?br />A game of footvolley 👍#TeamIndia enjoys a fun outing at Chepauk ahead of the first Test against England. 😎🙌 – by @RajalArora #INDvENG

Watch the full video 🎥👉 //t.co/fp19jq1ZTI pic.twitter.com/wWLAhZcdZk

— BCCI (@BCCI) February 2, 2021

India and England to fight for Test Championship Final

Both India and?? England are set to face off in a four-match Test series, with the first two scheduled in Chennai and the final two games in Ahmedabad.

A spot in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final is at stake for both teams. New Zealand have already qualified for the WTC finals after Australia postponed their tour to South Africa.

India are the table toppers in WTC standing??s and have to win with a minimum of 2-0 against England to book a place in WT??C final.

On the other hand, Joe Root and Co. need to defeat India by 3-0, 3-1 or 4-0 to meet the Bla??ck Caps for the WTC final in Lords, scheduled to occur be?tween June 18 and June 22.

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A stunning finish against Haryana in the 2021 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy on Wednesday saw Vishnu Solanki emerge? as the star as he sm?ashed 16 runs of the last three deliveries to take Baroda home.

Chasing 148 to win, Sola??nki came in to bat at No.3 and hit a quickfire half-century. When 18 runs were needed off the last over, Solanki was dropped off the second ball by Sumit Kumar and no one would have thought that this dropped cat??????????????????????????ch would cost Haryana the game in the end.

Solanki then blasted a six and a four to bring the equation down to five runs to win off the last ball. Under extreme pressure, Solanki held his nerves and hit the final delivery over long-on for a maximum with a MS Dhoni-esque helicopter shot, taking Baroda into the semi-finals.

//twitter.com/iamraahul3/status/13543707?43262355460

Baroda will now have a face-off with Punjab in?? 2nd semi-final on Friday (January 29). The Mandeep Singh-led side into the last four comfortably, beating defending champions Karnataka by 9 wickets and 44 balls to spare in the first quarter-final.

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Steve Smith scored 131 in Australia’s 286/9 on Sunday afternoon before a Rohit Sharma century saw? India chase down the target with 15 balls? to spare and take the three-match series 2-1.

Smith played gloriously all around the ground and became the fourth-fastest Australian to 4000 ODI runs along the way before?? he got out in the 48th ov??er.

Smith nails the helicopter shot

Not even in his wildest of dreams, Navdeep Saini would have thought that Steve Smith would dispatch his delivery for a six over backward square leg after he bowled one w?ell outside off.

In his usual nature, Smith walked toward??s the off stump. He then pulled off a Dhoni-Esque helicopter shot for a maximum.

.@msdhoni would surely be very proud! #BattleOfEquals #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/Es89EnLH3G

— Hotstar Canada (@hotstarcanada) January 19, 2020

The?? Aussies were ba?rely in the contest in the second innings as Ashton Agar took 1/38 off ten overs and Adam Zampa 1/44, but the quicks all went for big runs.

Pat Cummins had one of the worst days of his ODI career with 0/64 from seven overs, while Mitchell Starc also went for 7.33 runs per over. Josh Hazlewood was more impressive with 1/55 in his first ODI in 14 months, but after Agar dismissed KL Rahul for 19, Rohit and Virat Kohli put on a show.

Rohit notched up his eighth ODI against Australia to finish on 119 from 128 balls, while Kohli hit 89 off 92 before b?eing bowled by Hazlewood.

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