In the realm of cricket strategies, while many swear by the variations in bowling techniques, India's pace bowler, Mohammed Shami, stands firm in his belief in pitching it up to secure crucial wickets. His outstanding performance of 7-57 played a pivotal role in India's triumph over New Zealand, propelling them into the final of the ICC men's ODI World Cup.
Facing a Wankhede pitch characterized by slowness, dryness, and a propensity for batting despite early seam and swing, Shami seized the opportunity by dismissing both openers early on. The Player of the Match, Shami, who entered the playing XI due to Hardik Pandya's injury, shattered the formidable 163-run partnership between Kane Williamson (69) and Daryl Mitchell (134), turning the tide in India's favor.
Expressing his post-match sentiments, Shami remarked, "I was waiting for my chances. I didn't play a lot of white-ball cricket. My return started against New Zealand [in Dharamsala]. We talk a lot of variations, but I still believe in pitching it up and getting wickets with the new ball."
His return to the white-ball format began against New Zealand in Dharamsala, and since then, he has become the highest wicket-taker in the World Cup with an impressive tally of 23 wickets in just six matches, surpassing Australia's Adam Zampa.
Shami's third five-wicket haul in the tournament proved to be the catalyst for India's entry into the World Cup final, overcoming the semifinal hurdles faced in the 2015 and 2019 editions. Reflecting on the accomplishment, Shami expressed, "It feels amazing. Last two World Cups, we lost in the semifinals. Who knows when or if we'll get a chance, so we wanted to do everything for this one chance we didn't want to let go."
Despite the pitch favoring batting, Shami highlighted its dual nature, aiding both batsmen and bowlers due to the absence of the usual dew factor. "The wicket was very good, lots of runs were scored in the afternoon. There was some fear of dew, the grass had been shaved off from the wicket," he added.
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