Mohammad Shami Receives Arjuna Award After 2023 World Cup Exploits

image-lr5zhz0lShami earned the award for excellent World Cup performances (Twitter)

Mohammed Shami was handed the prestigious 'Arjuna Award', the country's second-highest sporting honour, for achieving on-field excellence during the ICC World Cup 2023 played in India in October-November. 

The experienced Indian bowler, who had been nominated for the award by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, received the honour at the National Sports Awards on Tuesday (January 9) at the hands of President Droupadi Murmu. 

Shami was given a huge round of applause from all the sporting and political gents and ladies present for the awards and wore a proud look on his face upon becoming the latest cricketing recipient of the great Arjuna award. 

The right-arm seamer became the 59th Indian cricketer to have received the Arjuna award, joining an esteemed list which includes some of the biggest names of the sport - Sachin Tendulkar, Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, Kapil Dev and Virat Kohli. 


Shami bags second highest sporting award in country

The award comes on the back of a tremendous individual campaign Shami had during the World Cup 2023. The veteran pacer was in devastating form with the ball and ran through opposition batting line-ups during the national team's excellent winning run until losing the final against Australia. 


Shami, who couldn't make the playing XI initially for tactical reasons, showed why he always belonged in the main attack with a jaw-dropping 24 scalps in just seven outings at an average of 10.70 and an economy rate of 5.26. 

The 33-year-old has been missing from cricketing action since then, however, as he currently undergoes rehabilitation for a heel injury, which he sustained throughout the World Cup also. 

The Gujarat Titans pacer rested from the T20Is at home versus Australia and the white-ball leg of the trip to South Africa, couldn't take part in the Test series which followed and is in recovery mode ahead of the next Test series at home against England.