Today mark the 34th birthday of Mohammed Shami, a celebrated Indian cricketer renowned for his remarkable skills as a fast bowler. Over the past 11 years, Shami has made significant contributions to Indian cricket, particularly excelling in One Day Internationals (ODIs). He holds the record for the most wickets by an Indian in World Cup history, underscoring his pivotal role in the sport.

Mohammed Shami’s impact and career highlights

Shami is celebrated for his ability to swing the ball both ways and perform under immense pressure. His career has been marked by crucial performances in various ICC tournaments. Despite India finishing as runners-up in five ICC events during his career, Shami’s contributions have been invaluable, including pivotal roles in India’s victories in the Asia Cup in 2016 and 2023 and Men in Blue’s dominant journey in ODI World Cup 2023. His consistent form and impressive performances have established him as one of the most formidable pacers in contemporary cricket.

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A memorable milestone: Shami’s hat-trick against Afghanistan

On the occasion of his birthday, we recall one of the most thrilling moments of Shami’s career: his hat-trick against Afghanistan in the ICC World Cup 2019. This extraordinary feat cemented his place in World Cup history, making him only the second Indian after Chetan Sharma to achieve a hat-trick in the prestigious tournament.

The match at the Rose Bowl in Southampton was a high-stakes encounter, with Afghanistan pushing for what could have been one of the greatest upsets in World Cup history. Mohammad Nabi‘s impressive 52 had placed Afghanistan in a strong position. However, Shami turned the game around with a breathtaking hat-trick in the final over. With Afghanistan needing 16 runs to win, Shami dismissed Nabi, Aftab Alam and Mujeeb Ur Rahman, sealing an 11-run victory for India.

First Wicket: Nabi, Afghanistan’s last hope, was caught by Hardik Pandya on the third ball of the final over, putting the Afghan team on the back foot.
Second Wicket: Shami clean bowled Aftab Alam with a precise delivery.
Third Wicket: Mujeeb Ur Rahman was also clean bowled, ending Afghanistan’s challenge and triggering exuberant celebrations among the Indian team and supporters.

Shami’s hat-trick was not only a personal milestone but also a testament to the depth and strength of the Indian bowling attack. His performance, complemented by Jasprit Bumrah’s figures of two for 39, enabled India to defend their modest total of 224 for eight and led them to victory by 11 runs in a thrilling contest.

Here’s the video:

Mohammad Shami in the Cricket World Cup:

– 18 innings.
– 55 wickets.
– 13.52 average.
– 15.81 strike rate.
– 4 four wicket hauls.
– 4 five wicket hauls.
– 7 wicket haul in the Semis.

THE GREATEST PERFORMER IN THE HISTORY OF WORLD CUP…!!! 🇮🇳pic.twitter.com/NBXELf07RV

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) September 3, 2024

Shami’s World Cup performance for India

Shami’s hat-trick was the first of the 2019 World Cup and the 10th in the history of the tournament. His overall performance in that particular World Cup was outstanding, as he claimed 14 wickets in 4 matches, with an average of 13.78 and a striking rate of 15. This remarkable achievement highlighted his exceptional skill and cemented his legacy as one of India’s greatest fast bowlers.

In the CWC23, Shami emerged as the highest wicket-taker, claiming 24 wickets in just seven matches at an outstanding average of 10.70 and an economy rate of 5.26. Notably, Shami achieved four five-wicket hauls in World Cup history, including three in the 2023 edition held at home, setting a record for the most five-wicket hauls in World Cup history.

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