File photo of Mohammed Shami and Virat Kohli© BCCI/Sportzpics
Indian cricket team fast bowler Mohammed Shami was a standout performer in the 2019 ODI World Cup but he was not included in the playing XI for the semifinal clash against New Zealand. Shami took 14 wickets in 4 matches at an impressive economy rate of 5.48. The performances included a five-wicket haul against England and a hat-trick against Afghanistan. However, when it came to the semifinal match, Shami was snubbed and India went on to lose the game by 18 runs to crash out of the competition. During a recent interaction on Shubhankar Mishra’s YouTube channel, Shami opened up about his disappointment and even had a question for then captain Virat Kohli and coach Ravi Shastri.
“In 2019 I did not play the first 4-5 games. In the next game, I took a hat-trick, then picked up a five-wicket haul and then four wickets in the next game. A similar happened in 2023. I did not play in the first few games and then picked a fifer, then four wickets and then a five-wicket haul again,” he said.
“The one thing I keep wondering is every team needs players who can perform well. I took 13 wickets in three matches. What more do you expect from me? I neither have questions nor do I have answers. I can only prove myself when I get the opportunity. You gave me a chance, and I took 13 wickets in three matches. Then we lost to New Zealand. Played four matches overall and picked 14 wickets. In 2023, I picked 24 wickets in seven matches,” Shami added.
Shami was India’s top wicket-taker in the ODI World Cup 2024 where he impressed everyone with his bowling and went on to take 24 wickets including three five-wicket hauls. The fast bowler is currently recovering after undergoing surgeries and there has been no official confirmation on his return.
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