VIDEO | Rashid Khan stuns Virender Sehwag and commentators with mammoth helicopter shot
Apart from his records, trophies, and wicket-keeping, the one other thing that would keep MS Dhoni alive long after he is gone, would be his trademark helicopter shot. Long after he first used it back in 2005, numerous players have exacted it from time to time with the latest being one Rashid Khan.
What was once invented to send the fuller length and yorker deliveries to the stands have today become the a common shot in limited overs cricket. Apart from Dhoni using it multiple times to get under the ball and schooping it off for huge sixes, the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Ben Cutting, Virat Kohli, Mohammad Shahzad, and many others have been found attempting it.
The ongoing Dubai T-10 League was supposed to see it more frequently of it as the shot is one of the most ideal ways to counter bowlers and it came in through most unlikely player possible. It was the 18th match of the league between Maratha Arabians and Pakhtoons. Arabians were off to a great start after losing the first two wickets for 27 runs riding on Najibullah Zadran, Brendan Taylor, and Kamran Akmal.
The incident happened in the ninth over after Dwayne Bravo returned cheaply and Rashid Khan came on to bat. Giving 17 runs in two overs, Mohammed Irfan was one of Pakhtoons’ better bowlers on the night but Rashid had no regard for it whatsoever. The Pakistan bowler decided to keep the ball at the blockhole and end the over with a dot but Rashid, who was expecting the same, moved back and got under it to pluck it off to the mid-wicket.
The ball dropped on the last stand of the Sharjah Stadium leaving the commentators in awe who labeled it the “best shot of the tournament”. Sehwag, who is the mentor of the side, also stood to praise the shot from the dugout.