[ad_1]

NEW DELHI: Five star Mohammed Shami wreaked havoc on a hapless Sri Lanka as hosts India powered to their seventh straight win at the ODI World Cup and became the first team to qualify for the semis on Thursday.
Shami led the bowlers’ rampage with an incredible burst of 5-1-18-5 as India shot down a clueless Lanka for a lowly 55 in 19.4 overs in their chase of an improbable 358.
Playing only his third match of the tournament, Shami now has 14 wickets as he surpassed Zaheer Khan (44) to become India’s highest wicket-taker ever at the cricketing extravaganza.
Legendary Pakistan pacer Wasim Akram was mighty impressed with the bowling performance of the 33-year-old, highlighting that the length at which Shami bowls makes him a dangerous bowler.

World Cup 2023: India crush Sri Lanka, become first team to qualify for semifinals

“Five overs and 5 for 18. What a spell! He is the second bowler in the history of the World Cup to take three fifers. Only Mitchell Starc had taken before him. That’s a massive deal. And most wickets for India in the World Cup. Another record for Shami. 45 wickets now Shami has. That’s an incredible performance by him. He comes and bowls seam deliveries. From the same area, he makes the ball come in and go away and with good pace,” said Akram on A Sports.
“He bowls at a length that gives reward. From back of length he gets the ball to go in and away. (Khichi hui length, wo, karta hai Shami). He doesn’t swing the ball as much as Bumrah but he gets the ball to seam. Overall Shami’s performance was exceptional. He was just toying around with the Sri Lankan batters. Great to see, so impressed with his bowling not just in this game but in the whole World Cup. He has 14 wickets in three games. He waited for his turn and put up an incredible performance. He is only going to get better and it’s good news for world cricket,” Akram added.

After claiming a fifer against New Zealand and a four-for against England, Shami on Thursday grabbed his second five-wicket haul at the 2023 World Cup.
With the fifer against the Lankans, Shami moved to the sixth spot on the list of bowlers with most wickets at this year’s World Cup.



[ad_2]

Source link