Mohammed Shami bagged a fifer against Sri Lanka© AFP
Not one of the first names on India’s team sheet when the Cricket World Cup 2023 started, Mohammed Shami has made himself undroppable with his stunning show in the last three games. The marquee pacer has 14 scalps in just 3 matches, including two Player of the Match awards. Seeing Shami breathe fire with the ball for India in the ongoing World Cup campaign, Pakistan great Wasim Akram lavished a wordly praise. Bowled over by Shami’s brilliance, Akram couldn’t stop singing praises of the India pacer.
For the second time in this World Cup, Shami bagged a fifer as India hammered Sri Lanka by a whopping 302 runs to qualify for the semi-finals.
“Five overs and 5 for 18. What a spell! He is the second bowler in the history of the World Cup to take three fifers. Only Mitchell Starc had taken before him. That’s a massive deal. And most wickets for India in the World Cup. Another record for Shami. 45 wickets now Shami has. That’s an incredible performance by him. He comes and bowls seam deliveries. From the same area, he makes the ball come in and go away and with good pace,” said Akram in a chat on A Sports.
Getting into the technical aspects of Shami’s game, Akram said that the veteran seamer’s ability to get the ball to seam is one of his biggest strengths.
“He bowls at a length that gives reward. From back of length he gets the ball to go in and away. (Khichi hui length, wo, karta hai Shami). He doesn’t swing the ball as much as Bumrah but he gets the ball to seam. Overall Shami’s performance was exceptional. He was just toying around with the Sri Lankan batters. Great to see, so impressed with his bowling not just in this game but in the whole World Cup. He has 14 wickets in three games. He waited for his turn and put up an incredible performance. He is only going to get better and it’s good news for world cricket,” Akram explained.
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