"I also dream of winning the World Cup" - Mohammed Shami reacts to Team India's T20 WC victory
Team India star pacer Mohammed Shami expressed his desire to win the World Cup after watching his teammates lift the World T20 trophy recently. The veteran pacer also lauded the Indian team for showing a lot more patience on this occasion.
India looked down and out for all money when South Africa required 30 off as many deliveries in the T20 World Cup 2024 final in Barbados. However, the bowlers helped spark a comeback for the ages and eventually fashioned a seven-run win, thereby also breaking their 11-year ICC trophy drought.
Speaking to Shubhankar Mishra on his podcast, here's what Shami said about India's recent World Cup win:
"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."
The 33-year-old observed that the Men in Blue displayed the level of dominance that was visible during the 2023 World Cup.
"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."
Rohit Sharma's men were undefeated in the 2023 World Cup until the final when a clinical Australia emerged triumphant to lift the trophy. However, they became the first side to win the T20 World Cup undefeated.
"Even in 2023, you wouldn’t have heard anyone say that India will lose" - Mohammed Shami
Shami, who finished the 2023 World Cup as the highest wicket-taker, claimed that India had complete belief despite scoring only 240 against Australia in the final. However, he feels luck went against them and added:
"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)."
The right-arm seamer is likely to make his return during the home season in September during the Test series against Bangladesh.