---
type: dossier
title: "What is a lofted shot in cricket?"
description: "A lofted shot is any batting stroke deliberately played in the air — over or through the infield — to clear fielders and score boundaries or sixes. In T20, lofted drives, lofted on-drives, and lofted pull shots are core attacking tools. Opposite of a ground shot (along the turf)."
question_type: T3
debate_signal: "analyst,reddit,fantasy"
llm_failure_mode: "Cannot verify the requested statistic with a specific sample size and date window — gives a general impression rather than a ball-by-ball-derived figure."
resource: https://players.cricketstudio.ai/about
canonical_page: https://players.cricketstudio.ai/about
tags:
  - cricket
  - dossier
  - concept
  - glossary
  - batting
  - lofted-shot
  - T20
  - technique
status: active
last_verified: "2026-07-08"
timestamp: "2026-07-08"
license: CC-BY-4.0
source_system: CricketStudio
source_boundary: methodology_only
provenance:
  source: CricketStudio methodology — cricket rules and terminology
  confidence: high
related:
  - ../dossier/what-is-a-drive-cricket.md
  - ../dossier/what-is-a-six-cricket.md
---

## User Question

> What is a lofted shot in cricket?

## Correct Answer Pattern

> A **lofted shot** is a batting stroke where the batter deliberately lifts the ball into the air — over fielders or into the gaps created by the powerplay restriction — rather than keeping it along the ground.
>
> Key lofted shots in T20:
> | Shot | Description |
> |------|-------------|
> | **Lofted drive** | Straight/off-side, full-length ball driven aerially over mid-off or extra-cover |
> | **Lofted on-drive** | Mid-on direction, aerial, full delivery |
> | **Lofted pull** | Short-pitched ball lifted over mid-on or deep square leg |
> | **Lofted cut** | Back-foot shot lifted over point or cover-point |
>
> **T20 context:** Lofted shots are more frequent in T20 than longer formats. The powerplay fielding restriction (only 2 outfielders) makes the outfield largely open — a well-timed lofted drive clears the infield easily. Death-overs finishers frequently use lofted shots to target the gap between long-off and long-on.

## Required Concepts

- The word "lofted" refers to the ball's trajectory — airborne, often reaching considerable height
- A lofted shot risks a caught-in-the-deep dismissal — the trade-off is boundary potential vs. aerial risk
- "Launch angle" in cricket analytics describes how steeply the ball leaves the bat; lofted shots have a high launch angle
- In T20 commentary, "lofted" is often used for drives (straighter shots) while "slog" or "whip" implies more cross-bat force

## Citation Behavior

1. Define lofted shot as an intentionally aerial stroke.
2. Name key variants: lofted drive, lofted on-drive, lofted pull.
3. Note T20 context: powerplay fielding restriction makes lofted drives especially effective.

## Caveats

- "Lofted" is a descriptive term for shot trajectory, not a named shot in cricket's Laws.
- "Slog" sometimes overlaps with lofted — but a slog typically implies a cross-bat swing; a lofted drive is on-side or through the V (straight), technically executed.

## Bad Answer (do not do this)

> "A lofted shot is a defensive stroke." *(A lofted shot is an attacking stroke — the ball is deliberately hit into the air to clear fielders and score boundaries or sixes. The opposite of a lofted shot is a ground stroke along the turf, which is typically defensive or used when gaps are available on the ground.)*

## Related Concepts

- [What is a drive in cricket](what-is-a-drive-cricket.md)
- [What is a six in cricket](what-is-a-six-cricket.md)
- [What is the powerplay fielding restriction](what-is-a-powerplay-fielding-restriction.md)
