Mohammed Shami is an Indian International Cricketer. He made his first international appearance in an ODI against Pakistan at Feroz Shah Kotla, Jan 06, 2013. He is the fastest Indian bowler to take 100 ODI wickets.
Full Name: Mohammed Shami Ahmed
Birth Date: 3 September 1990
Birthplace: Amroha, Uttar Pradesh, India
Jersey Number: 11
Height: 5 ft 10 in
Role: Bowler
Batting Style: Right Handed Bat
Bowling Style: Right-arm fast-medium
Mohammed Shami’s International and IPL Debut
Test Debut vs Windies at Eden Gardens, Nov 06, 2013
ODI Debut vs Pakistan at Feroz Shah Kotla, Jan 06, 2013
T20 Debut vs Pakistan at Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mar 21, 2014
IPL Debut vs Rajasthan Royals at Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Apr 08, 2013
Major Teams
Kolkata Knight Riders, India A, Bengal, India, Rest of India, Board Presidents XI, East Zone, Indians, Delhi Capitals, Mohun Bagan, World XI, Kings XI Punjab, Gujarat Titans
Domestic Cricket
Mohammad Shami’s domestic cricket journey can be traced through the years, highlighting his progress and impact in the domestic circuit:
2010:
– Shami made his senior debut for Bengal in a Twenty20 match in October, where he impressed by taking four wickets.
– In November, he made his first-class cricket debut against Assam at Eden Gardens, taking three wickets in a high-scoring match.
2012:
– Shami played a crucial role in helping East Zone win their first Duleep Trophy title in February. He took eight wickets in the match and was described as “outstanding” for consistently getting bounce and zip from just short of a good length.
– Despite being relatively unknown before the match, he was touted as a player to watch in the upcoming Indian Premier League season.
2012–13 Ranji Trophy Season:
– Shami’s performance in the Ranji Trophy season was exceptional. In a match against Madhya Pradesh in November, he took 11 wickets, including a hat-trick.
– The following month, he took 4/36 and 6/71 against Hyderabad on a green wicket at Eden Gardens, his second ten-wicket match in only his 15th first-class game.
– In the five Ranji Trophy matches he played during the season, he took 28 wickets at a bowling average of 21.25 runs per wicket.
2013:
– Shami was selected to tour the West Indies with the India A side and impressed with his bowling on pitches that were considered unhelpful to fast bowlers.
– He was considered the “surprise package” of the tour for India A and impressed the team’s coach with his strength, consistency, and batting abilities.
Overall Impact:
– By the time he made his Test debut in 2013, Shami had taken 71 wickets in 18 first-class matches, showcasing his ability to pick wickets consistently.
– Despite making his international debut in 2013, Shami continued to play domestic cricket whenever possible, although his appearances for Bengal became sporadic as he focused more on international commitments.
– Since the 2018/19 season, Shami has not played for Bengal, focusing primarily on his international career.
Test Career
Mohammad Shami’s Test career is marked by his ability to deliver breakthrough performances and his consistency in picking up wickets in crucial situations. Making his Test debut against the West Indies in November 2013 at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, Shami left an immediate impact by taking nine wickets for 118 runs in the match. This performance included a memorable 5/47 in the second innings, making him the highest wicket-taker by an Indian pacer on debut.
In subsequent tours, Shami continued to shine. During India’s tour of South Africa and New Zealand, he picked up a total of 16 Test wickets. Despite facing challenges during India’s 2014 tour of England, where he managed only five wickets in three matches, Shami showed his resilience. He played a crucial role in the first Test at Trent Bridge, scoring his maiden half-century in a 111-run partnership for the 10th wicket with Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
The 2014–15 tour of Australia proved to be a turning point for Shami as he took 15 wickets in three Tests. This performance made him the 20th Indian fast bowler to reach the milestone of 100 Test wickets, achieving this feat in just 29 Tests.
In 2018, during India’s tour of England, Shami played all five Tests and finished the series with 16 wickets, including a notable six-wicket haul in the fourth Test. His ability to consistently trouble batsmen with his pace and movement was evident throughout the series.
During the 2019–21 ICC World Test Championship, Shami continued to be a key player for India. He took nine wickets in the series against the West Indies, thirteen against South Africa, and five against New Zealand. Shami’s performances helped India qualify for the final of the championship, where they faced New Zealand at The Rose Bowl in Southampton. Although Shami took four wickets in the first innings, India lost the match by 8 wickets.
In the 2021–23 ICC World Test Championship, Shami’s standout performance came during the India-England series in August 2021. In India’s second innings of the second Test, he scored an unbeaten 56* in a partnership with Jasprit Bumrah, guiding India to a historic win against England. He finished the series as the fifth-highest wicket-taker with 11 wickets.
Shami’s Test career is characterized by his ability to perform consistently at the highest level, his knack for taking crucial wickets, and his contribution with the bat when the team needed it most. He has established himself as one of India’s premier fast bowlers and a valuable asset in the Test format.
ODI Career and World Cups
Mohammad Shami’s journey in One Day Internationals (ODIs) has been a tale of consistent performances and impactful contributions to the Indian cricket team. He made his ODI debut against Pakistan in January 2013, where he returned figures of 1/23 in a low-scoring game that India won by 10 runs. Shami quickly established himself as a valuable asset in the Indian bowling attack.
In October 2013, Shami was selected in India’s squad to face Australia and made an impact by taking seven wickets in the series, emerging as the fourth leading wicket-taker. His ability to trouble batsmen with his pace and skill was evident, setting the stage for his ODI career.
During India’s tour of New Zealand in 2014, Shami took 11 wickets at an average of 28.72, showcasing his ability to perform on foreign soil. His performance in the 2014 Asia Cup was noteworthy, reaching the milestone of 50 ODI wickets in just 29 innings.
Shami’s standout performances continued in 2014, where he played a crucial role in India’s ODI series win against England. He took eight wickets at an average of 24.16, earning praise for his tight bowling in the death overs.
Against the West Indies in October 2014, Shami took 10 wickets at an average of 17.40, with his best ODI bowling figure of 4/36 coming in the second ODI of the series. His consistent performances earned him a spot in the 15-man squad for the ODI series against Sri Lanka in November 2014, although he was replaced due to a toe injury.
For his performances in 2014, Shami was named in the World ODI XI by the ICC, a testament to his impact in the limited-overs format.
In the 2015 Cricket World Cup, Shami was a key player for India, taking 17 wickets at an average of 17.29. He played a crucial role in India’s victories, including a match-winning performance against Pakistan and a memorable spell against the West Indies, where he was awarded the Man of the Match.
Despite facing a recurring knee injury during the tournament, Shami’s determination and skill were evident, establishing him as a key bowler for India in ODI cricket.
Shami’s performances continued to impress, and he was included in India’s squad for the 2019 Cricket World Cup. He had a standout performance against Afghanistan, where he took a hat-trick, becoming the second Indian bowler to achieve this feat in a World Cup match.
In the 2019 Cricket World Cup, Shami finished as the 12th highest wicket-taker with 14 wickets, despite playing only four matches. His bowling strike rate of 15.07 and an average of 13.78 were the best among all bowlers in the tournament with at least six overs bowled.
With 42 wickets in 21 matches in 2019, Shami finished the year as the leading wicket-taker in ODIs, showcasing his consistency and impact in the limited-overs format.
In the following years, Shami continued to be a key player for India in ODIs, with notable performances against Australia and in the Asia Cup. His ability to bowl yorkers and take wickets in crucial situations made him a vital cog in the Indian bowling attack.
Mohammad Shami 2023 ODI World Cup
Mohammad Shami’s performance in the 2023 Cricket World Cup was nothing short of spectacular, showcasing his skill, determination, and ability to perform on the biggest stage. Despite being benched for the first four matches of the tournament, Shami made a remarkable impact when he finally got the chance to play.
In his first match against New Zealand at Dharamshala, Shami took 5/54, earning him the Player of the Match award. He followed this up with another match-winning performance against England at Lucknow, where he took 4/22 in a low-scoring game, helping India defend a total of 229.
Shami’s exceptional form continued as he took 5/18 against Sri Lanka at Mumbai, once again earning him the Player of the Match award. This match also saw him surpass the Indian record for most wickets in Cricket World Cup matches, overtaking Zaheer Khan and Javagal Srinath.
However, Shami’s best performance came in the semi-final against New Zealand at Wankhede, where he took 7/57, becoming the first Indian bowler to reach 50 World Cup wickets and the first Indian bowler to claim a 7-wicket haul in a World Cup match. He also set records for the most hauls of four wickets and the most five-wicket hauls in World Cup matches, surpassing Mitchell Starc’s records.
Shami finished the 2023 World Cup as the leading wicket-taker with 24 wickets in 7 innings, surpassing Zaheer Khan’s record for most wickets by an Indian in a single edition of the World Cup. His performances were instrumental in India’s journey to the final of the tournament, showcasing his ability to perform under pressure and deliver when it mattered most.
T20 Career
Mohammad Shami’s T20I career has been marked by sporadic appearances and intermittent successes, particularly in major tournaments.
He made his debut in T20Is on 21 March 2014 against Pakistan in the opening match of the 2014 T20 World Cup, where he took the wicket of Umar Akmal and finished with figures of 1/31 in 4 overs. He played the next two matches but was then dropped for the rest of the tournament.
Shami returned to the T20I side during the 2014 tour of England, playing in the lone match of the series and taking 3 wickets conceding 38 runs. However, he did not feature in the 2016 ICC World Twenty20 due to lack of form and game time after recuperating from a shoulder injury.
In the 2021 T20 World Cup, Shami was picked for his performances in the Indian Premier League (IPL) seasons. He was selected as one of the three fast bowlers in the main squad and was the only player from Bengal in the squad. Despite not performing as well in T20Is compared to other formats, his ability to bowl at the death and his knack for getting crucial wickets earned him a spot in the team.
Shami went wicketless in the first two matches of the 2021 T20 World Cup before setting career-best figures in consecutive matches against Afghanistan (3/32) and Scotland (3/15).
In the 2022 T20 World Cup, Shami was initially placed on stand-by but was later named as a replacement for Jasprit Bumrah, who was ruled out due to a back injury. Shami finished the tournament with 6 wickets, contributing to India’s campaign.
Shami’s T20I career has been characterized by his ability to perform in crucial moments, especially in major tournaments, despite not being a regular feature in the T20I side. His skill in bowling at the death and his ability to move the ball both ways make him a valuable asset in the T20 format.
IPL Career
Kolkata Knight Riders (2011-2013):
Shami was signed by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in 2011. He played a single match for the side in the 2011 Champions League Twenty20. Despite being considered a player likely to make an impact ahead of the 2012 tournament, he did not play in the IPL until 2013, making three appearances for Kolkata during the season.
Delhi Daredevils (2014-2018):
Ahead of the 2014 season, teams were allowed to retain a maximum of five players, and Shami was signed by Delhi Daredevils in the player auction. He played in 12 of Delhi’s 14 matches during the season, taking seven wickets. He was retained but did not play a match the following season due to a knee injury. He played sporadically in the IPL during the next three seasons, making eight appearances for Delhi in 2016 and 2017, and just four in 2018 when he was again hampered by a knee injury.
Kings XI Punjab (2019-2021):
After being released by Delhi ahead of the 2019 season, Shami was bought by Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) in the 2019 player auction. Fit again, he took 19 wickets, registered his first 3-wicket haul in IPL against Mumbai Indians at Wankhede Stadium, and was the side’s leading wicket-taker. He repeated this feat in the following season, taking 20 wickets, the best return of his career. In the 2021 season, Shami took 19 wickets in 14 matches and finished as Punjab’s leading wicket-taker for the third straight season and as the fifth highest wicket-taker in that year’s competition.
Gujarat Titans (2022-):
Ahead of the 2022 IPL auction, Shami was released by Punjab. He was purchased by Gujarat Titans, a newly formed franchise, for ₹6.25 crore from the marquee group of players. He took 20 wickets at an economy rate of 8.00 runs per over during the season as Gujarat won the league title in their first season. He set new career-best T20 bowling figures in IPL 2023, taking his first four-wicket haul in the format against Delhi. The same season, he won the Purple Cap (leading wicket-taker) for the first time, with 28 wickets from 17 matches.
Mohammed Shami Records
- Shami became the second fastest Indian to 50 ODI wickets.
- On his Test debut, he took 9 wickets for 118 runs – the most by an Indian pacer on debut.
- He is the fastest Indian to pick 100th ODI wicket in terms of matches (56).
- He is the second Indian bowler after Chetan Sharma and ninth player to claim a hat-trick in a World Cup match.
