'Mohammed Shami is like Ferrari': India Star Praised After Match-winning Five-wicket Haul at World Cup

Mohammed Shami produced a superb show with the ball in his first match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 to set the base of an impressive Indian win over their bogey team New Zealand. Shami took a five-wicket haul, his second in ODI world cups, and took the player-of-the-match ahead of teammate Virat Kohli who dazzled the fans in Dharamsala with a sublime 95.

Shami wasn’t picked for India’s first four games of the competition as they went on to beat Australia, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh by impressive margins.

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An injury to Hardik Pandya left a vacant spot but India needed two specialist to fill the hole left by the star allrounder’s presence. Suryakumar Yadav came in as Pandya’s replacement while Shardul Thakur was dropped for Shami.

Shami has been kept on the bench with the Indian team management opting for extra batting cushion in Thakur. However, before the New Zealand contest, India’s batting depth wasn’t tested with a high-flying top-order doing the job.

Shami drew widespread praise for finishing with figures of 5/54 from 10 overs.

Former India allrounder Irfan Pathan compared Shami with a Ferrari.

“Mohammed shami is like Ferrari. Whenever you take it out of garage it will give u same speed thrill and joy to ride every time. @MdShami11,” Pathan posted on X (formerly Twitter).

With the win, India have taken the top spot on the ODI World Cup points table and are the only unbeaten side in the tournament now having won all their five matches.

Shami struck with his very first delivery of the world cup 2023 when he got rid of New Zealand opener Will Young after coming in as the first bowling change in the 9th over.

He could have a second wicket in his next over but for Ravindra Jadeja who dropped a regulation catch of Rachin Ravindra at backward point.

However, Shami returned for another spell later to get rid of Rachin on 75 and then snuffed out New Zealand’s hopes of a 300-plus total by getting rid of Mitchell Santner and Matt Henry in consecutive deliveries.

He completed his five-for with the scalp of centurion Daryl Mitchell in the last over of the New Zealand innings.