"The Shami SHOW" - Twitter erupts to applaud the seamer's exceptional spell in 1st IND vs AUS ODI
Team India pacer Mohammed Shami put on quite a show in the first ODI against Australia at the Wankhede Stadium on March 17. He finished with figures of 3-17 off six overs as the Aussies collapsed to 188 all out with 14 overs to spare while batting first.
Stand-in skipper Hardik Pandya, who led Team India in an ODI for the first time, decided to bowl first after winning the toss. Shami began his spell with a tight first over but conceded two fours in his third that brought an end to his first spell.
He was recalled into the attack in the 28th over of the innings when Australia were on the brink of a collapse and placed at 161-4. Inglis struck a six on the third ball of the pacer's return spell, but Shami did not concede a single run after that.
The right-arm pacer took three wickets off his next 14 deliveries, dismissing Cameron Green, Josh Inglis, and Marcus Stoinis without conceding a single run. Green's wicket was arguably the highest point of his spell, as he breached the all-rounder's defense and hit the top of the off stump.
Twitter was pleased with how India, particularly Shami, was able to make easy work of the Australian batting unit, despite its depth.
Here are some of the reactions on the social media platform:
@mufaddal_vohra Shami's second spell 🔥🔥🔥
Australia all-out for 188 runs in the first ODI.
Incredible bowling performance by India led by Shami.
Mohammad Shami bowled an extraordinary spell - 3/17 in 6 overs
#AusvsInd
Mohammad Shami bowled an exceptional spell - 3/17 in 6 overs.
He took the 3 wickets in the last 14 balls without conceding any runs!
Well, that was pathetic!
Gotta say, though, Mohammed Shami is a wizard - full of admiration for how he's bowled during this tour.
Shami goated spell
Shami' spell made the Wankhede visit worth it.
Second spell Shami! #INDvsAUS
@mufaddal_vohra It's refreshing to witness Shami taking some wickets for a change, given that he often creates pressure and manages to beat the batsmen, leading to other bowlers picking up the wickets.
What a bowling effort by the Indian bowlers and very preemptive captaincy by Hardik Pandya, he has got this air of coolness about him.
Specual mention to Shami well was on fire 🔥, those wicket maidens!! 😍
#INDvsAUS
Has been a top bowling performance this from Mohammad Shami. Shami and that seam of his, seem to like each other, seldom do they go against each other.
Top class from Mohammad Shami 🔥🔥
"I found the right areas from the start and you could see the results" - Mohammed Shami
Mohammed Shami's terrific spell cut the Australian innings short by a huge margin. The visitors had an eye on a mammoth total, especially after Mitchell Marsh was batting freely after being promoted to the top of the order.
Speaking about his splendid spell during the mid-innings break, Shami said:
"There's a lot of hard work behind this. You have to work hard in the nets. It's not that easy but when you bowl in the right rhythm and bowl the right lines and lengths, it feels good. There's always good bounce in the Mumbai wickets. I found the right areas from the start and you could see the results. It was just moving a bit and the plan with Hardik was to keep a slip in place. That was the attempt."
He continued:
"Everyone has to go a long way and plan big. They all need the confidence. I think we've restricted them to a really good score and we should not have much difficulty chasing it down. I get to know from the seam as to how comfortable I feel and how well I'm holding the ball."
Apart from the Bengal-born pacer, his new-ball partner Mohammed Siraj was also among the wickets with a three-fer.
Hardik Pandya and Kuldeep Yadav also chipped in with key scalps. Team India need to chase down 189 runs to win the first ODI of the three-match series.
Who will win the ODI series between India and Australia? Let us know what you think.