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In an electrifying display of seam bowling, Mohammed Shami put up a memorable performance against the mighty Australians on Friday, September 22, at the PCA Stadium in Mohali. The first ODI saw Shami making the ball dance to his tunes as he ended with impressive figures of 10-0-51-5, thereby restricting Australia to a total of 276 in 50 overs.
The veteran pacer Shami managed to dismantle key batters of the Aussie lineup. His snared the prized wickets of Mitchell Marsh, Steve Smith, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Short, and Sean Abbott. It was Shami's crucial early breakthrough, sending Marsh back to the pavilion, that, as he puts it, allowed him to "set the tone" for India's bowling attack.
After the conclusion of Australian innings Shami talked about bowling alongwith Mohammed Siraj. The latter himself is in tremendous form, having recently bagged a six-wicket haul against Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup 2023 finale, hosted at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. On their partnership and the challenges they faced on the Mohali pitch, Shami mentioned, “Very happy, enjoy the company of Siraj a lot. It’s important to bowl in the right areas and set the tone. Yes, it was hot out here. There wasn’t much out of the wicket and so the only option was to bowl good lengths and mix-up your variations.
Mohammed Shami's brilliance was not just limited to the initial overs. His impeccable line and length during the death overs choked the Aussie batsmen, providing them with little room to free their arms. Reflecting on his performance, an elated Shami said, “Feels good when you put in the effort and get wickets, it’s good for the team and for your confidence.”
This match wasn't just a standalone stellar performance for Shami. With the five wickets he claimed, Shami's tally against Australia in ODIs reached 37, enabling him to surpass the legendary Ajit Agarkar. This places Shami in the esteemed second position on the list of Indian bowlers with the most wickets against Australia in one-day internationals. The coveted top spot is adorned by none other than the iconic Kapil Dev, who boasts of 45 Australian scalps.
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