"So beautiful...so elegant..just wow" - Fans react as Mohammed Shami takes a fifer vs SL to become India’s leading wicket-taker in World Cup
Mohammed Shami once again starred with the ball in the 2023 World Cup for India, this time against Sri Lanka at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday, November 2. He finished with sensational figures of 5/18 as India beat Sri Lanka by 302 runs.
Shami took the wickets of Charith Asalanka (1 off 24), Angelo Mathews (12 off 25), Dushan Hemantha (golden duck), Dushmantha Chameera (six-ball duck), and Kasun Rajitha (14 off 17) to complete his fifer.
It was his second five-wicket haul in just three matches in the marquee ICC tournament, having previously scalped a fifer against New Zealand, where India won by four wickets. Shami also took four wickets against England as the Men in Blue thumped the defending champions by 100 runs.
With his fifer, Shami also eclipsed Javagal Srinath and Zaheer Khan for the most wickets by an Indian in the World Cup. He now has 45 wickets in just 14 matches.
Fans on X lauded Mohammed Shami for their excellent bowling figures. One user wrote:
"So beautiful...so elegant..just wow."
Here are some more reactions:
“I always focus on hitting good areas and length” – Mohammed Shami reacts to his fifer against Sri Lanka
Mohammed Shami is delighted to continue his dream run in the World Cup. He credited his consistent bowling as the prime reason behind his success. At the post-match show, he said:
“I always try to bowl in good areas and be in good rhythm. In big tournaments, once the rhythm goes away, it's very tough to get it back. I always focus on hitting the good areas and length.”
He continued:
“Very happy (on becoming India's leading wicket-taker in World Cups) It's very important to be in rhythm in white ball cricket and hit the good areas. If you hit the good areas with the new ball, you will get assistance off the pitch and for me length matters a lot.”
Mohammed Shami will next be seen in action against South Africa in the 2023 World Cup clash at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on November 5.