Crowds gather in long queues to meet World Cup hero Mohammed Shami – WATCH
Crowds gather in long queues to meet World Cup hero Mohammed Shami – WATCH Photograph:( AFP )
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The selectors picked Shami in the squad for the South Africa Tests, though his selection is subject to fitness.
The selectors picked Shami in the squad for the South Africa Tests, though his selection is subject to fitness.
Cricket in India is not a sport but a religion. Be it the great Kapil Dev, master blaster Sachin Tendulkar or MS Dhoni, cricketers are worshipped like Demigods. Following what seamer Mohammed Shami produced in the 2023 World Cup, he seems to have fallen under this category.
Shami shared a video on his Instagram handle of hundreds of fans standing in long queues waiting to see him as he visits home. In the video, the security, delegated outside his house, is helping fans enter one by one to see their superstar cricketer live in front.
Such a moment reflects the love and respect a player has earned in his career, and Shami – a catalyst for India’s CWC success, deserved every bit of it.
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE –
Shami’s CWC campaign
India was on a winning spree, having beaten Australia and arch-rivals Pakistan in their opening two CWC matches. Against Bangladesh in Pune, Hardik injured his ankle, with India roping in Shami as his replacement for the next game against New Zealand. Less everyone knew this call would help India re-write history on several grounds.
Shami returned with a five-for in his first match against the Kiwis, while he picked another four-for against England. A five-wicket haul against Sri Lanka in Mumbai helped India gain the momentum they needed heading into the business end of the tournament.
Shami then shone against South Africa and the Netherlands in India’s last two league matches before creating a world record against New Zealand in the semis, wherein he picked seven wickets, most by a bowler in a World Cup knockout.
With form and momentum on his side heading into the daddy match against Australia in Ahmedabad, Shami looked like helping India cross the final hurdle. Although he failed to inspire his team to their third world title, Shami managed to pick David Warner’s wicket on just his second ball.
Shami’s unclear to play SA Tests
Having suffered a knee injury during the 2023 World Cup campaign, Shami is undergoing rehab and is likely to get fit in time for the two Tests against South Africa, starting on Boxing Day in Centurion.
The right-arm seamer skipped the Australia T20Is while the selectors opted to rest him for SA’s white-ball leg.
