Mohammed Shami has been making batters look amateurish since he got a chance after Hardik Pandya’s injury. Shami piled on Sri Lanka’s misery and picked up a record-breaking fifer to bowl them out for a paltry 55 and help India win by a colossal margin of 302 runs.
Shami completed his fifer in the 18th over of the innings and the fifth of his spell. After taking the fifer, Shami seemed tired and was on his knees. When he got up to celebrate the fifer, he dedicated it to bowling coach Paras Mhambrey. He signalled towards the dressing room by rubbing the match ball on his head.
Shami’s celebration has been making rounds on the internet and so are his numbers. He has picked up 13 wickets from just three matches in the World Cup 2023 already. He surpassed Zaheer Khan and Javagal Srinath to become India’s leading wicket-taker in ODI World Cups with 45 wickets.
Shami was introduced in the 10th over of the innings. He started off with the wicket of Charith Asalanka who was trying to survive the new ball. On the next over, he got the wicket of Dushan Hemantha as well. Dushmantha Chameera looked clueless against him and departed for a duck. He ended Angelo Mathews' resistance as well by uprooting his leg stump. He completed his fifer with Rajitha's wicket. He conceded 18 runs from his five overs and bowled a maiden as well.
Shami was adjudged 'Player of the Match' for his mind-boggling performance.
"I want to first thank Allah - all the hard work we are putting in, the rhythm we have found, it's because of that that you are getting to see this storm (on the cricket field), the incredible things our bowling unit is doing. The rhythm we are bowling with, I can't believe anyone will not enjoy it. So, yes, we are enjoying ourselves a lot and working together as a unit, and you are able to see the results of that,” he said in the post-match presentation.
The massive win helped India climb to the top of the points table and book their berth in the semi-final as well.
MORE ON SPORTS TAK:
Virat Kohli hits Angelo Mathews with bat while running between the wickets, video goes viral
