Mohammed Shami goes past Zaheer Khan, Javagal Srinath to become India's leading World Cup wicket-taker.
In a historic moment at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, Mohammed Shami etched his name in World Cup annals for India on Thursday. The veteran fast bowler joined the esteemed ranks of Javagal Srinath and Zaheer Khan as the leading wicket-taker for the two-time champions. Shami, along with fellow pacemen Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah, unleashed a devastating assault on the Sri Lankan batting lineup during their World Cup 2023 clash.
Shami delivered a spell of unplayable fast bowling, claiming four wickets in his opening three overs. He entered the fray in the 10th over of Sri Lanka's chase, and by that time, the match seemed well out of reach for the Sri Lankan side, who had faltered to 3 for 4 before slightly recovering to 14 for 4. Shami concluded his initial spell with a five-wicket haul, marking his third such achievement in World Cup history. With this feat, he drew level with Mitchell Starc as the top bowlers with the most five-wicket hauls in World Cup competitions
Shami's World Cup wicket tally now stands at 45 wickets, achieved in just his 14th match in this 50-over showcase event. In comparison, Zaheer Khan required 23 matches to reach 44 wickets in World Cups, while Srinath took 34 matches to accumulate 44 wickets. Despite having played only three matches in World Cup 2023 for India, Shami has already claimed an impressive total of 14 wickets.
Hailing from a remote village in Uttar Pradesh, Mohammed Shami's journey to cricketing stardom was far from typical. His father, a former fast bowler turned farmer, saw his potential amidst five aspiring fast bowlers in the family. To nurture his talent, he sought a renowned coach in Moradabad, the nearest city. However, Shami faced early setbacks, missing out on the U-19 team due to alleged political influence in selections. His coach advised him to move to Kolkata, where he pushed his way into the U-22 Bengal side after a game-changing net session supervised by Sourav Ganguly.
Shami's potential shone during the West Indies A tour in 2012, and he progressed from a remarkable 10-wicket haul on a grassy Eden pitch to an unprecedented 11-wicket performance on an unhelpful Indore track in the Indian domestic circuit. He made his ODI debut in early 2013, quickly reaching 50 ODI wickets and becoming the second-fastest Indian to do so. In the 2015 World Cup, Shami excelled with 17 wickets, despite battling a concealed knee injury.
In Test cricket, he impressed during Sachin Tendulkar's farewell series against the West Indies. While he had mixed results in overseas tours, he excelled in Australia with 15 wickets in three Tests before succumbing to injury. Known for moving the new ball and reverse-swinging the old, Shami's consistency earned him accolades, including a World Cup hat-trick in 2019 and becoming the quickest Indian to claim 150 ODI wickets on July 12, 2022. His enhanced strength and fitness make him a vital asset for India in the 2023 ODI World Cup.
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 "Meet Mohammad Shami, star pacer who became India's leading World Cup wicket-taker")
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