London: MS Dhoni may be among the least technically-correct batsmen but his effectiveness can't be denied. Not for nothing he is called one of the best finishers in world cricket. And one of his main weapons as a batsman is the helicopter shot.


Dhoni, as has been reported, developed the helicopter shot during his younger days when he used to play a lot of local cricket where bowlers would bowl in the block hole zone to not allow any space for a big shot. It requires a lot of power.

There have been batsmen who used different versions of the helicopter shot in the past as well but the authority and effectiveness that Dhoni has shown, it is unprecedented. That's the reason why this particular shot is associated with the Ranchi lad.

But the shot is no longer exclusive to Dhoni or men's cricket. Women cricketers are also using this shot and with great effect.

England hosted Pakistan women for the first T20I of the series at Bristol on Tuesday. England Women decided to bat first after winning toss. Their openers Lauren Winfield and Tammy Beaumont started beautifully to give the team a solid platform.

Both the openers went on to score half-centuries. Despite a batting failure thereafter the hosts posted 187 runs on the board. In reply, none of the Pakistani women, except Asmavi Iqbal, could put up a fight and conceded the game by 68 runs.

Winfield, in her 45-ball 74-run knock where she hit as many as 10 boundaries and one six, played a beautifully executed the helicopter shot.

On the 4th ball of the first over of the match from Amin Anwar, bowled at 59.4 mph, Winfield played the helicopter shot. Though it lacked muscle power of Dhoni, it crossed the ropes one bounce to get her four runs.

Here is the video of that eye-catching shot:

 





 

And this is how MS Dhoni plays the helicopter shot:

 



 

So, who is better?