The highest wicket-taker in the 2023 ODI World Cup could have been a valuable asset for India in the ongoing Proteas series but he missed it due to injury.
Mohammed Shami’s absence was keenly felt during the first Test between India and South Africa, as the Indian cricket team’s pacers struggled to contain the Proteas batters, resulting in a substantial run leak. Jasprit Bumrah found himself lacking proper support, with Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, and Shardul Thakur falling short of expectations.
Mohammed Shami, the highest wicket-taker in the 2023 ODI World Cup, could have been a valuable asset in such a scenario but he missed the series due to injury.
In a report titled, “Prasidh’s performance hints at bare bench strength” news agency PTI revealed that Shami played the World Cup with pain.
“Shami has a chronic left heel issue. A lot of people don’t know that he took injections regularly during World Cup and played the entire tournament through pain. But you must understand that as you grow older, recovery from each niggle or big injury takes that more time,” a former Bengal teammate of Shami, aware of his situation told PTI on the condition of anonymity.
Reflecting on India’s six-wicket loss to Australia in the ODI World Cup 2023 final, Shami expressed that the nation felt ‘disappointed’ after the defeat. Speaking to the press, Shami highlighted the team’s dedication to maintaining momentum throughout the tournament and giving their best to secure victory in the final match. Despite their efforts, the 33-year-old admitted they couldn’t pinpoint where they went wrong in the final match against Australia in the ODI World Cup 2023.
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“The whole nation was disappointed (when India lost the World Cup). We tried hundred per cent to continue the momentum till the end that we had created and win the final. But…it cannot be explained, where we went wrong at the end…,” Shami said.
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