While India’s top-order opted for a defensive approach against Pakistan in the group stage fixture, the pairing of Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul came out all guns blazing in the ‘Super 4’ game of the ongoing Asia Cup on Sunday. Both kept on smashing the ball into the stands as India gathered 62 runs in the first six overs of Powerplay in the Dubai stadium.
KL Rahul, who perished for naught in the previous match against the arch-rivals, smacked a 20-ball 28, decorated with one four and two sixes. His second maximum looked like a mistimed hit, as he shuffled across the crease to smash it like a helicopter shot. It almost seemed like a helicopter shot that traveled into the sightscreen.
Just watch this shot from @klrahul 🥵❤️ pic.twitter.com/0jgqJ0GwoO
— VIRAT KOHLI KA PANKHA HUN KOI PRBLEM HUH!?!! 🤬😡 (@254kohlisaab) September 4, 2022
Former Indian spinner Amit Mishra also reacted to the six and asked on Twitter if the batter discovered a new kind of shot. He wrote, “A new shot? Straight helicopter shot? Bravo KL Rahul..” Fans also drew comparisons with MS Dhoni. Among the many strokes, he shone with, it was his trademark ‘helicopter shot’ that the ex-India captain made famous.
A new shot? Straight helicopter shot? Bravo KL Rahul.. #IndvsPak pic.twitter.com/Wil3JdouNu
— Amit Mishra (@MishiAmit) September 4, 2022
Earlier in the same over, On the first ball, Naseem Shah was hit for a great six through a lofted off-drive from KL Rahul.
Whatever u name that shot…
Flick+Lofted drive..
That's the best shot of Asia Cup😎😎
Vintage KL🔥
That's how we want u to play@klrahul #Cricket #INDvsPAK #AsiaCup2022 #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/AUCqgsTrkR— celestial_sphere (@civil_engg2021) September 4, 2022
KL Rahul eventually fell to Shadab Khan in his attempt to hit the spinner towards long-on. His dismissal preceded Rohit’s exit in the previous over as he scored 28 off 16, as he went for a lofted drive but hit it straight to Khushdil Shah at cover point.
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Earlier, Pakistan captain Babar Azam won the toss and opted to field first. Mohammed Hasnain came in place of Shahnawaz Dahani, who was ruled out of the contest with a side strain.
On the other hand, India had a total of 3 changes – out of which 2 were forced. Ravindra Jadeja is out of the tournament due to a knee injury while Avesh Khan is down with a fever. Dinesh Karthik was dropped from the XI, with the team management needing a southpaw like Rishabh Pant.
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India (Playing XI): KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Deepak Hooda, Hardik Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ravi Bishnoi, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh
Pakistan (Playing XI): Mohammad Rizwan, Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Khushdil Shah, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Asif Ali, Mohammad Nawaz, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah
