New Delhi: Calling Mohammed Shami, India’s ‘World Cup Wizard’ would not be wrong anymore as the speedster became India’s leading wicket-taker in the mega tournament after surpassing the former Indian pacer and the highest wicket-taker in the 2011 World Cup, Zaheer Khan. Shami now has 45 ODI World Cup wickets and he also has the joint most fifers in 50-over WC. Both him and Australia’s Mitchell Starc have 3 five-wicket hauls.
The 33-year-old was not even part of the Men in Blue playing xi in the first four matches. He got his first chance to demonstrate his skills during the clash against New Zealand after Hardik Pandya was ruled out due to an injury. He started his tournament with an astonishing fifer against the Black Caps. He then struck a four-fer in the clash against the defending champions England.
Now, the pacer got 14 wickets in just three matches in the ongoing edition of the World Cup 2023 after a fifer against Sri Lanka. Currently, the leading wicket-taker is Dilshan Madushanka with just 18 wickets in 7 matches, this shows how exceptionally outstanding the Indian speedster has been in this tournament.
Indian pacer Mohammed Shami credited the hard work they have put in and the rhythm they have found for the incredible performance of the Indian bowling unit in the 302-run victory against Sri Lanka.
Shami claimed 5-18, his second five-wicket haul of the ongoing World Cup, while fellow pacers Mohd Siraj bagged 3-16 and Jasprit Bumrah took 1-8 as India bundled out Sri Lanka for 55 in 19.4 overs after riding half-centuries by Shubman Gill (92), Virat Kohli (88) and Shreyas Iyer (82) to post a massive 357/8 in 50 overs.
Shami also entered the top 10 of the highest wicket-takers in ODI World Cup history, which is topped by Glenn McGrath with 71. Among active international cricketers, only Mitchell Starc and Trent Boult are above him in the list with 56 and 49 wickets respectively.
Shami ended his spell with a brilliant figure of 5 for 18 in five overs as India registers its biggest victory in the World Cup defeating Sri Lanka by a mammoth 302 runs to seal their berth in the semis.
The Indian cricket team became the first team to qualify for the semi-finals of the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 for the straight seventh win in this tournament. The Men in Blue side is the only undefeated team in the mega-tournament.
It was clearly a brilliant bowling display by the Indian pacers who left the Sri Lankan batters clueless. The Sri Lankan batters too did not apply themselves, a couple of them chasing wide deliveries when they should have left them untouched.
Down 22/7 after 12 overs, Sri Lanka looked like getting the unwanted record of the lowest all-out total in ODIs, which is 35, by Zimbabwe (vs SL) and USA (vs Nepal).
They were 29/8 when Angelo Mathews got out for 12 in the 14th over and in danger of failing to get even 50.
They managed that thanks to a ninth-wicket partnership between Maheesh Theekshana (12 not out) and Kasun Rajitha (14), only the third batsman to get into double figures.
