Celebrating Mohammad Shami: Top 5 Bowling Masterclasses of the Indian Pacer!

Indian cricketer Mohammad Shami is known for his extraordinary skills as a fast bowler. Over his illustrious career, the 34-year-old has made notable contributions to Indian cricket, particularly in white ball cricket, ODI to be precise where he holds the record for the most wickets by an Indian in World Series history. 

Shami has been a key player in several global tournaments and is known for his prowess in swinging the ball both ways and delivering under pressure. Despite India ending up as runners-up on five occasions during his time with the team, Shami has been instrumental in their successes, including clinching the Asia Series in 2016 and 2023. His stellar performances and consistent form make him one of the most lethal pacers in modern cricket.   

The premier pacer turns 34 today (September 3, 2024) Hailing from Uttar Pradesh, Shami made an early impact in First Class and List-A cricket. His impressive performances in the domestic circuit soon earned him a maiden call-up to the Indian national team. He made his debut against Pakistan in January 2013 and the rest is history. 

2023 World Series Semi-Final vs New Zealand- 7 wickets

Mohammad Shami was in terrific form throughout the 2023 World Series in India. The ace pacer claimed seven wickets against a potent NZ batting attack in the tournament’s semi-final at the Wankhede Stadium. Defending a target of 397, Shami ran riot. He ripped through NZ’s star-studded batting lineup. India eventually reached the final with a 70-run win.

India vs Australia, 2nd Test, 2018- 6 Wickets

Mohammad Shami was a force to reckon with during the 2018 India vs Austria Test series. He struggled in the first innings at Perth but made a remarkable comeback picking up six wickets during the second innings. He got the prized wickets of Aaron FIinch, Shaun Marsh, Usman Khawaja and Tim Paine. Despite his exceptional show, India lost the game by 146 runs. 

India vs Sri Lanka 2023 World Series- 5 wickets 

Mohammad Shami put up one of the most emphatic performances in the history of the World Series. The veteran pacer claimed a fifer while defending a mammoth total of 357. He and Mohammad Siraj made a mockery of the run chase as the pair combined to bundle out Sri Lanka for 55 runs. 

Gujarat (GUJ) vs Delhi (DEL), Indian T20 League 2023- 4 wickets 

Mohammad Shami was like a man on a mission in the 2023 edition of the Indian T20 League. His best performance of the campaign against Delhi. Bowling at a decent pace, the Indian pacer made the new ball talk as he rattled Delhi’s top-order. He registered impressive figures of 4-11 during the match. Shami was the leading wicket-taker that season. 

Punjab (PUN) vs Delhi (DEL), Indian T20 League 2020- 3 wickets

Shami tormented Delhi on another occasion in 2020 as a Punjab player. He bowled a fiery spell in their clash at Dubai. Shami took three key wickets in the form of Shimron Hetmeyer, Shreyas Iyer and Prithvi Shaw while conceding only 15 runs. Despite the splendid bowling figures, Punjab lost the game in the Super Over.