The viral video showing Indian cricketer Rishabh Pant smashing a drone with a cricket ball is entirely fake and AI-generated. The clip went viral on social media on June 7, 2026, claiming that Pant's lofted shot hit an overhead broadcast drone and brought it crashing down during India's Test match against Afghanistan. AI video generators are improving, but they still struggle with the complex physics and fast movements of sports. Fact-checkers spotted several obvious red flags in this clip.

The ongoing India vs. Afghanistan match is a traditional Test match, which strictly uses a red cricket ball. The AI video shows Rishabh Pant hitting a white ball, a mistake that immediately caught the attention of cricket purists.

Right after the ball hits the drone in the clip, the AI's rendering engine glitches. Two separate cricket balls appear on screen at the exact same time, one bounces off into the distance, while another magically appears inside the falling drone. If you slow the video down, the faces of the crowd in the background and the grid lines of the stadium fence warp and blur unnaturally.

This is a common flaw in AI-generated imagery. Aside from the visual errors, the scenario is practically impossible due to standard broadcasting safety rules. Aerial camera systems, Spidercams, and drones are highly regulated by the International Cricket Council (ICC) and local boards. They are programmed to hover at safe, maximum heights.

What actually happened during Rishabh Pant’s lofty shot at Mullanpur?

In real life, Rishabh Pant’s high-flying shot did not hit a piece of technology. It actually resulted in his cricketing dismissal (getting out) on Day 2. Rishabh Pant was batting beautifully and answering his critics with a brilliant, composed knock. He had been at the crease for nearly two sessions and scored 81 runs off 121 balls, smashing six fours and three massive sixes.

He was looking very comfortable and was closing in on a well-deserved Test century. The Afghanistan team needed a breakthrough to stop Pant from running away with the game. Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi came in to bowl his off-spin. To fool Pant, Shahidi bowled a highly flighted delivery and intentionally slowed the ball down, giving it plenty of air loop.

 

Pant spotted the flighted ball and decided to play his signature aggressive style. He stepped out of his batting crease and charged down the pitch to whack the ball straight out of the stadium for a six. However, because the ball was moving much slower than he expected, he mistimed his jump and swing. The ball turned slightly in the air and hit the bottom part of Pant’s bat.

Instead of traveling flat and far over the boundary ropes, the cricket ball shot straight up, high into the sky. Pant knew he was in big trouble the exact moment the ball left his bat. Afghan fielder Azmatullah Omarzai ran forward from deep mid-off, settled himself safely under the high ball, and caught it easily.