Pakistan vs Australia: Shaheen Afridi's Stunning Helicopter Shot Stuns Commentator

During the third and final T20I against Australia at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart, Pakistan fast bowler Shaheen Afridi made an “exquisite” attempt on the classic helicopter shot. The commentator was lost for words after witnessing the stroke.

It happened in the last over of the innings, Aaron Hardie’s final over, on the fifth ball of the 16th over when Shaheen Afridi deftly scooped a fuller ball bowled down the leg side and sent it through deep mid-wicket for a boundary, thus bringing up Pakistan’s 100 runs, unfazed by the collapsing batting order earlier on in the match.

"That shot was a bit of a helicopter," exclaimed one of the commentators on Fox Cricket. Another said, “He timed that exquisitely. A helicopter finish!”

3-0 whitewash for Pakistan

After their historic win over Australia in a 2-1 ODI series- the first for Pakistan in more than twenty years, the team was unable to maintain that form in the ensuing T20I series as the home team was able to white-wash the series with 3-0. After the situation-rain affected loss in the first game of the series at the Gabba and a very close loss in Sydney, Pakistan faced an embarrassing collapse, all out for only 117 runs in the 18.1 overs.

Choosing to bat first, Pakistan was well-placed at 61-1 in the seventh over, but their innings quickly fell apart. Adam Zampa dismissed Haseebullah Khan (24), and the rest of the batting order folded for just 56 runs. Babar Azam scored 41 runs off 28 balls before all went wrong. Australia, on the other hand, was not economical with their runs as they lost both their openers Matthew Short and Jake Fraser-McGurk within 04 overs of the play. However, in the third T20I match, Marcus Stoinis was on fire, hitting five sixes and five fours for a brilliant 61 runs off just 27 balls as Australia led Pakistan by 7 wickets in the contest. 

"I think in the middle overs we didn't capitalize the start, we lost too many wickets. Lots of positives, the way some of the players batted and bowled, these youngsters will come good. It's a big achievement for us to win a One Day series here after 22 years, could've done better in the T20 series but we'll come back stronger. They have been amazing," said Salman Ali Agha, Pakistan's stand-in skipper, after the whitewash.