Taking to social media on Monday, Shami shared images documenting his injury and subsequent surgery, affirming, “Just had a successful heel operation on my achilles tendon! Recovery is going to take some time, but looking forward to getting back on my feet.”
Following his surgery, Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended wishes for a swift recuperation via Twitter, expressing confidence in Shami’s resilience, stating, “wishing you a speedy recovery and good health, I’m confident you’ll overcome this injury with the courage that is so integral to you.”
Mohammed Shami’s Absence in IPL 2024 and T20 World Cup 2024:
The necessity of surgical intervention for his injury implies Shami’s likelihood of commencing a regimen of strength and rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA). Consequently, his participation in forthcoming events appears doubtful at this juncture.
Shami’s absence will undoubtedly be keenly felt by his IPL franchise, Gujarat Titans, which basked in significant triumphs during its inaugural seasons. His stellar performance last year earned him the coveted Purple Cap, having clinched 28 wickets in 17 matches.
While an official announcement from the Gujarat Titans is pending, anticipation looms, particularly with the schedule for the first half of IPL 2024 already unveiled, and the season primed for commencement on March 22nd.
]]>Heartfelt Moments: Shami Shares a Touching Interaction
During the interaction, witnesses reported that Modi addressed the Indian team collectively before having personal conversations with individual players. Mohammad Shami, the tournament’s top wicket-taker, shared a poignant moment with the Prime Minister, later expressing gratitude on social media. Despite Shami’s exceptional performance with 24 wickets throughout the World Cup, he managed only one wicket in the final against Australia.
An anonymous team member revealed, “The Prime Minister told us that since we all had given our 100 per cent, we shouldn’t be disappointed. He said win or loss wasn’t in one’s hand; what was important was we played well and tried hard.”
In a tweet, Shami thanked PM @narendramodi for personally coming to the dressing room and lifting their spirits, expressing confidence in the team’s ability to bounce back. All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja also acknowledged the nation’s unwavering support, stating, “We had a great tournament but we ended up short yesterday. We are all heartbroken, but the support of our people is keeping us going.”
Modi’s presence during the match, alongside Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles and Home Minister Amit Shah, provided a morale-boosting moment for the team despite the disappointing outcome in the World Cup final.
]]>Raza’s allegations stirred controversy as he insinuated that India was receiving special cricket balls from the ICC and BCCI, allegedly giving them an unfair advantage. These claims also extended to the suggestion that India’s DRS decisions were favoring them, along with suspicions of an extra ball coating for enhanced swing, which raised eyebrows in the cricketing community.
Shami Takes to Instagram to Respond
In reaction to these allegations, Shami took to Instagram to express his disappointment and criticize Raza. He emphasized that Raza should feel ashamed for making baseless remarks. Shami also advised Raza to heed the words of legendary Pakistan pacer Wasim Akram, who strongly rebuked Raza’s comments after the match.
Wasim Akram had expressed disbelief in Raza’s claims and even expressed a desire to possess the same cricket balls that were allegedly favoring India. Akram went as far as to suggest that Raza and the panel had lost their senses.
The controversy surrounding Raza’s allegations has added an intriguing dimension to the ODI World Cup 2023, sparking debates among cricket fans and experts about the validity of these claims.
Even after being reprimanded by Wasim Akram, Raza continued with his accusations. Following India’s victory over South Africa, Raza asserted that India had been tampering with the Decision Review System (DRS) and cast doubts on the legitimacy of Jadeja’s dismissal of the in-form Rassie van Der Dussen concerning the DRS.
In his Instagram story, Shami refrained from providing explicit details but advised Raza, as a former cricketer, to appreciate the team’s achievements and success.
]]>Sri Lanka’s innings turned into a nightmare reminiscent of their Asia Cup final earlier in the year when they were dismissed for a mere 50 runs. This time, they suffered an even more humiliating defeat, managing only 55 runs in response to India’s imposing score.
Sri Lanka’s Nightmare Start: Early Woes in the Chase
The trouble for Sri Lanka began right from the start as India’s pace trio of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Mohammed Shami exploited the conditions with the new ball. Bumrah set the tone by dismissing the in-form Pathum Nissanka for a golden duck, and Siraj followed up by sending Dimuth Karunaratne back to the pavilion. The early dismissal of Sadeera Samarawickrama further added to Sri Lanka’s woes, leaving them struggling at 7/3.
The Sri Lankan top order continued to falter as Charith Asalanka found it challenging to get off the mark, eventually falling victim to Shami. This early collapse left Sri Lanka reeling at 29/8, dangerously close to the lowest total in ODI history. Thankfully, a few late boundaries prevented a new record, but it was a day to forget for the Sri Lankan batting lineup. Shami’s incredible bowling performance, with figures of 5/1 at one point, earned him the Man of the Match award and made him India’s leading wicket-taker in World Cup competitions.
Sri Lanka had not anticipated such a dramatic collapse, especially given India’s total of 357. While the pitch did offer some assistance to the bowlers, it remained a typical high-scoring track at the Wankhede Stadium.
Shreyas Iyer Shines Amidst Carnage
In the Indian innings, Rohit Sharma fell early, but Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill took charge during the powerplay, both scoring half-centuries. However, they missed out on centuries due to the fine bowling of Dilshan Madushanka. Shreyas Iyer then stepped up to deliver an explosive performance, scoring a quick 82 runs before narrowly missing a century.
While KL Rahul and Suryakumar Yadav made modest contributions, Ravindra Jadeja’s partnership with Shreyas Iyer helped India surpass the 300-run mark. Shreyas was on track for a century, but Madushanka put a halt to his progress. Nevertheless, Jadeja’s valuable contribution allowed India to reach an impressive total of over 350 runs.
Despite India’s stellar batting performance, the standout feature of the day was the sensational display of pace bowling that ultimately led to a crushing victory over Sri Lanka.
]]>Looking at Babar Azam’s performance in the first game of the Asia Cup Mohammad Kaif believes the Indian team needs to set their plans accordingly. However, according to Mohammad Kaif, there is one fast bowler who might cause trouble to Babar Azam in the upcoming high-intensity match.
“Mohammed Shami is a fantastic bowler, his form is also very good. And even in Bumrah’s absence, he managed the bowling very well. Even his form in the IPL was great. So he has a lot of talent. In my opinion, Babar Azam is going to have a lot of difficulty facing Mohammed Shami”, said Mohammad Kaif.
Mohammed Shami discusses India’s Plans for Asia Cup 2023
Mohammed Shami recently discussed that the only goal of the team is to give a hundred per cent on the field to get a 100% result, which will be the victory at the end of the match. He also talked about the consistent performances given by Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj which makes India a lethal bowling attack ahead of Asia Cup and ICC Cricket World Cup 2023.
“I don’t have any hesitancy to bowl with the new ball or the old ball. I don’t have an ego like that. All three of us (Bumrah, Shami & Siraj) are bowling very well, so it depends on the management on who will play. There is only one goal, to go and give our 100%, the result will come running to us if we give our 100%. So it is very important to focus and execute, it’s a very simple plan,” said Mohammed Shami.
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