Team India star pacer Mohammed Shami expressed his desire to win the World Cup after watching his teammates lift the World T20 trophy recently. The veteran pacer Mohammed Shami also lauded the Indian team for showing a lot more patience on this occasion. Star Indian pacer Mohammed Shami has returned to bowling in the nets for the first time since the ODI World Cup 2023 final against Australia. Shami had been sidelined due to a right heel injury that required surgery.
Mohammed Shami who has been out due to an injury in the 2023 ODI World Cup has finally started bowling in nets. He is on his road to recovery and is eyeing a return to the Indian team soon.
Mohammed Shami impressive performance in World Cups for India
Star Indian speedster Mohammed Shami is the best performer for the Indian cricket team in the ODI World Cups. His 55 wickets is the fifth in history and third among the Asian bowlers. He is also the only bowler to have four five-wicket hauls in the World Cups. However, despite his astonishing performance, he was never a regular member of India’s XI during the three previous mega tournaments. India played 28 matches in the last three World Cups and Shami got the chance to play in only 18 of them, with India winning 15 of those ties.
Similarly to the 2023 edition, Shami was benched for the first four group games in the 2019 World Cup, where India was competing under the leadership of Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri was the head coach. Mohammed Shami only made his appearance in the fifth match against Afghanistan, where he picked up a hat-trick, and later took a fifer against England in his third appearance.
He grabbed 14 wickets in his four appearances before being rested for the final group game against Sri Lanka and then was not considered in the semifinal against New Zealand as well. During the 2023 edition also, Shami only got a chance after Hardik Pandya picked up an injury. He took 24 wickets in seven matches, which also included two fifers. He was also the leading wicket-taker in the tournament.
Ace Indian Pacer Mohammed Shami sights return to play for Bengal post his ankle injury after 2023 WC finals
Ace pacer Mohammed Shami remained uncertain of his return to the Indian side from an ankle injury but mentioned playing for Bengal in domestic cricket before returning to international cricket. The 33-year-old underwent surgery earlier this year and has started bowling at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. Mohammed Shami last played for India in the heartbreaking ODI World Cup final defeat to Australia in November last year.
While being felicitated by the East Bengal Club in Kolkata, Shami spoke about his comeback, saying:
“It’s difficult to say when I will be back. I am trying hard but hopefully you will get to see me in Bengal colors before I don the India jersey again. I will come to play two-three matches for Bengal and will come fully prepared for it.”
“We never thought the injury would be this serious. The plan was to address it after the T20 World Cup since we had the IPL and the ICC T20 mega event coming almost back-to-back after last year’s World Cup. But it turned worse during the ODI World Cup itself and I also did not find it right to risk playing on with it. Even the doctors could not fathom that the injury will take such a serious turn and will take so much time to heal,” he added.
When last seen in action, Shami enjoyed an incredible 2023 ODI World Cup campaign, finishing as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with 24 scalps in seven games. However, the injury meant he missed the 2024 IPL season and the subsequent T20 World Cup.
World Cup 2023 finals memories still haunts Mohammed Shami
When asked about the thrilling 2024 T20 World Cup final against South Africa, Mohammed Shami admitted to being haunted by memories of the 2023 ODI World Cup final defeat.
The Men in Blue were starring down the barrel of another heartbreaking loss in the finale when the Proteas required only 30 runs from the final five overs. However, Jasprit Bumrah , Hardik Pandya, and Arshdeep Singh produced a remarkable turnaround to help India clinch the title with a seven-run win.
“To tell you frankly, I got tense when South Africa were pulling things back in the final. For a moment memories of our 2023 World Cup final loss returned to haunt me. But luckily Suryakumar Yadav took that great catch to fetch us the cup and it took time to sink in that India have actually won it,” said Shami.
It was India’s second T20 World Cup title and their first ICC event win since the 2013 Champions Trophy.