Mumbai (Maharashtra): Mohammed Shami became the first Indian bowler to grab seven wickets in a One Day International and what an occasion the Bengal speedster chose. The semi-finals against New Zealand of the ongoing Cricket World Cup.
Shami ended with fine figures of 7/57 as the Rohit Sharma-led Indian team defeated the Kiwis by 70 runs and stormed into the final of the marquee tournament. The afternoon belonged to Virat Kohli, who smashed his record-breaking 50th ODI ton, and the evening belonged to Mohammed Shami, who not only brought back India into the game but with his lethal bowling ensured that the hosts emerged victorious and stormed into the final.
Mohammed Sham, who was India's first-change bowler struck off his very first ball and then did not look back. Rightly, he was adjudged as the 'Player of the Match'. Shami now also has the most four-wicket hauls for India in World Cups.
The record for best figures for an Indian bowler was held by Stuart Binny, who had taken 6/4 against Bangladesh in Mirpur in 2014.
Shami now also has the most five-fors in World Cups - 4. He also became the first bowler to bag three five-fors in a single World Cup edition.
Shami said he tried to take wickets with the new ball. "I was waiting for my turn. I wasn't playing much white ball cricket. I had in mind, that we talk about a lot of things like yorkers and slower balls. I tried to take wickets with the new ball," Shami said at the post-match presentation.
"I try to take as many as I can with the new ball. I dropped the catch of Kane (Williamson). I felt bad. I tried to take pace off. They were playing their shots. So, I took a chance. The wicket was good. There was the fear of dew. The grass was cut off nicely. The runs were enough. Had dew come in, things could have been bad. The slower balls might not have worked. I feel amazing. This is a huge platform," added Shami.
"We lost in the semis in the 2015 and the 2019 WC. Looking to cash in with the chance I have been given. We don't know when all of us will get a chance like this again," Shami signed off.
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