Pace spearhead Mohammed Shami recalled the times when he did not play in the semi-final of the ODI World Cup in 2019 despite being one of India’s premier bowlers in the tournament. Shami claimed 14 wickets from four matches at a stunning economy rate of 5.48 as well. Shami also picked up a five-wicket haul against England and troubled Afghanistan with a hat-trick. But the Indian Team left him out of the team in the semis against Kane Williamson’s New Zealand at Old Trafford in Manchester. And, India lost the match by 18 runs after failing to chase down 240 as well.

“In 2019, I did not play the first 4–5 games. In the next game, I took a hat-trick, then picked up a five-wicket haul and then four wickets in the next game. A similar thing happened in 2023. I did not play in the first few games and then picked a fifer, then four wickets and then a five-wicket haul again,” Shami told Shubhankar Mishra on the latter’s YouTube show ‘Unplugged’. “The one thing I keep wondering is every team needs players who can perform well. I took 13 wickets in three matches. What more do you expect from me? I neither have questions nor do I have answers.”

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However, Shami was the top wicket-taker in the ODI World Cup 2023 also, where India finished as the runners-up after losing to Australia in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium as well. Moreover, Shami picked up 24 wickets from seven games with three five-wicket hauls as well.

“I can only prove myself when I get the opportunity. You gave me a chance, and I took 13 wickets in three matches. Then we lost to New Zealand. Played four matches overall and picked 14 wickets. In 2023, I picked 24 wickets in seven matches,” Shami further added.

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However, Mohammad Shami hasn’t played competitive cricket since the World Cup final last year as he has gone through surgeries and also missed playing for Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. He has recently returned to bowling in the nets, but there is no official confirmation of his return to the national team yet as well.