Mohammad Shami's outstanding fifer (Source: @SPORTYVISHAL/x.com)
The cricketing talents of India have dominated the game of cricket since the beginning, but some players have turned into legends with their own expertise. Bowlers may come and go, yet Mohammad Shami stands apart, leaving fans spellbound with his lethal seam and swing.
Over the years, he delivered some match-winning spells, but since the last few months, Shami’s story has taken a U-turn as his consecutive snubs grabbed attention. The upcoming ODI series against New Zealand brings more disappointment, as Shami is once again left out.
Yet, rewind to the 2023 World Cup, and his magical five-wicket haul against the Kiwis stands tall as one of the finest spells of his career. Let’s relive the moment.
Kiwis dream of control until a storm called Shami strikes
Whenever India and New Zealand lock horns on the big stage, thrills follow with every footstep. From glorious victories to some heartbreaking defeats, these cricket giants never delivered a dull moment on the field. Among their many iconic battles, the 2023 ODI World Cup showdown still lingers in memory, where Mohammad Shami’s brilliance left fans stunned.
As both sides faced each other at the picturesque Dharamsala Stadium, Shami’s fiery bowling turned the heat up in the mountains. After winning the toss, India forced New Zealand faced and they faced a nightmare. Just as they looked for stability through the Will Young-Rachin Ravindra partnership, Shami struck his first blow, sending Young back and shifting the momentum.
After that setback, the Kiwis made an outstanding turnaround as Rachin Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell stitched a game-changing stand. The Indian bowlers sweated hard to break the partnership, but the duo tore through every attack until Shami arrived with his trusted weapon.
While batting on 75, Rachin might have dreamt of a World Cup hundred, but Shami dashed the hope. In the third delivery of the 34th over, the young Kiwi batter walked away scoring 75 runs in 87 deliveries.
Shami removes Mitchell and tears through the Kiwis for a fifer
Despite the Kiwis' slump, Daryl Mitchell stood firm. Defying every odds, he scored a gritty fifty and soon converted it into a thrilling century. Even after surpassing the three-figure mark when Mitchell looked unstoppable, Shami removed him at a crucial time as he departed, scoring 130 runs.
With three crucial wickets, he already made a massive impact, but the pacer was left with more destruction. Coming back to bowl in the 48th over, he removed Mitchell Santner and Matt Henry in successive deliveries and completed a dominating fifer. While India clinched a thrilling 4-wicket victory, Mohammad Shami’s fiery spell emerged as the biggest surprise of the match.
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