Mohammed Shami's 3 best ODI World Cup bowling performances
Team India are currently locked in battle against New Zealand in Match 21 of the 2023 World Cup. At the time of writing, Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill are trying to make full use of the powerplay after the Kiwis managed a respectable 273 in their 50 overs.
The main reason why India are still very much in the game is Mohammed Shami, who was the pick of the bowlers in the first innings in Dharamsala. The fast bowler shattered a bunch of records en route to his second five-wicket haul in World Cups, a performance that shaved a considerable amount of runs off New Zealand's total.
Shami, with 36 wickets, is India's third-highest wicket-taker in World Cup history. He is also one of only three bowlers from the country to have recorded three five-fers in the format. Needless to say, he has come up with some memorable performances on cricket's biggest stage.
On that note, we take a look at Mohammed Shami's three best bowling performances in ICC ODI World Cups.
#3 4/35 vs Pakistan, World Cup 2015
Mohammed Shami's first World Cup was way back in 2015, and he was adjudged the Player of the Match for his three-wicket haul against the West Indies. A performance that he is more remembered for, though, came against arch-rivals Pakistan at the Adelaide Oval.
After India made 300/7 in their 50 overs on the back of Virat Kohli's stunning hundred and fifties from Suresh Raina and Shikhar Dhawan, Shami produced the first breakthrough by having Younis Khan caught behind. He later returned to produce a two-wicket burst in the middle overs, dismissing Shahid Afridi and Wahab Riaz.
Shami capped off his display by prising out Pakistan's highest run-scorer, Misbah-ul-Haq. That wicket was the final nail in the coffin for the Men in Green as they fell 76 runs short.
#2 4/40 vs Afghanistan, World Cup 2019
This is one of Shami's most iconic performances in World Cups, with the fast bowler managing not just a four-wicket haul but also a hat-trick.
India were pushed to the limit in this contest by Afghanistan, who restricted them to a very gettable 224/8 in tricky conditions at the Rose Bowl. Kohli was the side's top scorer with 67, while Kedar Jadhav was the only other batter to cross the 50-run mark.
India needed to produce early breakthroughs, but meaningful contributions from several Afghan batters meant that the match went down to the wire. Shami, who had set the ball rolling by castling Hazratullah Zazai, was entrusted with bowling the final over.
Feeding off Jasprit Bumrah's superb display at the other end, Shami had the dangerous Mohammad Nabi caught in the deep before rattling the stumps of the last two Afghanistan batters. India hung on by the skin of their teeth to clinch a 11-run win.
#1 5/54 vs New Zealand, World Cup 2023
This might seem like a bit of recency bias, but Mohammed Shami's splendid performance against New Zealand is undoubtedly one of the best he has ever produced in World Cups.
On a slow pitch in Dharamsala, Shami didn't have much assistance. He still managed to prise out Will Young in his first spell before providing another breakthrough by having Rachin Ravindra caught in the deep later in the piece. The 33-year-old helped himself to three more wickets at the death as the Kiwis struggled to garner momentum in that phase of the innings.
Shami used reverse swing to great effect and made the most of the pressure created at the other end by Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj. His second World Cup five-fer was a truly special display.