India’s gun fast bowler Mohammed Shami dreams of winning the World Cup. Shami was not part of India’s T20 World Cup-winning squad as he was recovering from an ankle injury. The ace bowler had a great run in the ODI World Cup 2023, picking 24 wickets (the highest in the tournament) in seven matches at an impressive average of 10.71.
Shami has an impeccable record in ODI World Cup history as he has bagged 55 wickets in 18 matches at an average of 13.52 and an economy rate of 5.13. But the fast bowler even had to miss IPL 2024 for Gujarat Titans because of his injury.
Shami said he was happy for his teammates after they got over the line in the T20 World Cup as every player deserved to win the title.
Speaking on Shubhankar Mishra’s podcast, Shami said, “I believe that whoever took part in that competition, whoever was part of the team, deserved to win it. If I’m unfit today and sitting at home, I can only watch the sport as a fan. Those players are my friends and colleagues, I can only let them know what I feel from the outside to help them play better. There isn’t much in our hands. As far as the winners’ medal is concerned, I also dream of winning the World Cup.”
Shami highlighted that Rohit Sharma’s team showed their supremacy, which was also on display in the ODI World Cup 2023.
“I’d felt the same watching this World Cup. I was feeling the same watching it from the outside, as I was on the ground that day. In 2023, when we won 10 games in a row, all the teams were thinking how to beat India. When that happens, we should pray. When you make a mountain out of a molehill that sows doubts and overconfidence. I think the boys showed great patience this time around.”
Shami recalled India’s dominant run in the ODI World Cup 2023 and said everybody was backing them as they were playing top-quality cricket.
“Even in 2023, you wouldn’t have heard anyone say that India will lose. When we had 80 runs in the first 10 overs, the feeling (of invincibility) was the same as it was when we had nabbed three wickets in the beginning. There were no doubts on if India are winning the World Cup or not. But then luck…jo naseeb mai hai uske aage aap jaa hi nahi sakte (you can’t go against what’s been written).”
India will next take on Sri Lanka in three T20Is and as many ODIs.
