Indian pace bowler Mohammed Shami has vehemently supported his teammate Arshdeep Singh following criticism from former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq regarding Arshdeep's ability to generate reverse swing during the T20 World Cup 2024.
Inzamam questioned Arshdeep's skill after India's Super 8 match against Australia, where Arshdeep played a pivotal role in India's 24-run victory by claiming three crucial wickets. Despite Rohit Sharma being awarded Player of the Match for his aggressive batting, Arshdeep received acclaim for his performance, which included dismissing David Warner, Tim David, and Matthew Wade. Inzamam expressed doubts about Arshdeep achieving reverse swing so early in the game, around the 14th or 15th over.
In response, Shami rebuffed Inzamam's remarks during an interview on Shubhankar Mishra’s YouTube channel. Shami, renowned for his proficiency in reverse swing, refuted the allegations and defended his teammate and the sport's integrity.
"I have said in an interview that I will cut the ball and show if there is a device or not. Abhi ek aur namuna khod ke dia hai inhone. They said, 'How can Arshdeep Singh get reverse swing?' I want to say only one thing to Inzamam bhai. I respect him a lot. If you do the same thing, isn't it ball-tampering? Those who do well against them, will be their target. India and Pakistan are arch-rivals," Shami said.
Shami further urged former cricketers to refrain from making baseless accusations and to avoid misleading the public with unfounded claims. He also supported legendary Pakistani bowler Wasim Akram, who had previously dismissed the idea of tampering with the ball to achieve reverse swing, emphasizing that umpires strictly regulate the condition of the ball.
"I don't expect that despite being ex-players you can say such things. Even Wasim Akram said how umpires give you the ball and it is not possible to plant any device in it. This type of cartoongiri is not good. These statements are there to fool people," Shami added.
Arshdeep Singh emerged as one of India's standout performers in the T20 World Cup, finishing as the second-highest wicket-taker with 17 wickets from eight matches at an economy rate of 7.61. His performances included a notable four-wicket haul against the United States.
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