He was on the sidelines for the first four World Cup 2023 matches. He was the epitome of the team player—always willing to provide a helping hand, ready with a smile, and content to contribute in any manner imaginable when he wasn’t on the field.
Mohammed Shami did a wonderful job of masking if he was chomping at the bit or annoyed at having to warm the bench.
Then the invisible hand of destiny landed gently on his shoulder. India’s team management was compelled to reconsider their approach after Hardik Pandya’s unlucky injury prompted them to go with experts rather than artificially extending the batting order.
With Pandya’s brief departure, Suryakumar Yadav replaced Shardul Thakur at No. 6, while Shami replaced Thakur to give the bowling unit more bite and strength.
Shami has handled the altered dynamics quite well. He has taken nine wickets at an average of 8.44, an economy of 4.47, and a strike rate of 11.33 in two games, against New Zealand in Dharamsala and England in Lucknow.
Nobody has a higher average or strike rate among the top 15 wicket takers; only his fellow conspirator Jasprit Bumrah has a higher economy (3.91).
Shami has experience in the major leagues. He is the most seasoned of the five Indian quicks included in the 15-man World Cup roster; he made his debut for the nation in late 2013.
He has 433 international wickets, including an incredible 180 in 96 One-Day Internationals, and was a major factor in India’s push to the quarterfinals of both the 2019 and 2015 World Cups (in England and Australia). Regardless of the team balance, it couldn’t have been easy for him to wait it out.
With India defending a meek 229 for nine on Sunday at the Ekana International Cricket Stadium, the onus was on Bumrah and Shami to make early inroads.
India only had five bowlers available since Pandya was unavailable, so they needed to make early breakthroughs.
This was especially important because the two spinners, Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja, would eventually struggle due to the dew.
With the wickets of Joe Root and Dawid Malan in his third over, Bumrah set the tone, but Shami wasn’t far behind. Siraj was leaking runs in the sixth over, so he was sent on.
After tormenting Ben Stokes with his 12th delivery, he ejected him, and with his 13th, he produced a blistering comeback to pack off Jonny Bairstow. It was thrilling and exciting. It was an exhibition fit for a king; if Bumrah fails to understand you, Shami will.
