Team India pacer Mohammed Shami took a dig at some of the former Pakistan players for their controversial remarks during the recently concluded ICC ODI World Cup 2023. He expressed that the former Pakistan players couldn’t digest India’s success in the tournament. India finished as the runners-up, as they lost to Australia in the finals.
Some of the former Pakistan cricketers, like Hasan Raza, and Sikander Bakht’s statements spurred controversies. Hasan Raza alleged that India was given a special ball, which was the main reason behind their success. Meanwhile, Sikander Bakht suggested that Rohit Sharma’s method of tossing the coin could be a deliberate ploy to gain an unfair advantage during the tournament. Responding to the controversies, Mohammed Shami said in an interview with PUMA,
“Some Pakistani players couldn’t digest our success at the World Cup. In their minds, they think that they are the best. However, the best is the one who performs when it matters the most. They kept on making statements and stirring up controversies by claiming that we were given a different ball. Sudhar jao yaar (improve yourself). When an ex-player talks like this, everyone will just laugh at him.”
I have never paid attention to records or statistics: Mohammed Shami
Team India pacer Mohammed Shami finished the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 as the leading wicket-taker. He wasn’t in the XI for the first few games and was brought in to replace Hardik Pandya, after the all-rounder’s injury. Shami took 24 wickets in seven matches, including three five-wicket hauls. The pacer broke several records during the tournament and also became the leading wicket-taker for India at ODI World Cups.
“I only learned about the records I broke when I opened Instagram,” Shami said during an interview.
“My primary aim was to perform the role that I was assigned. I only think about what is good for the team. While you cannot perform well all the time, it is important to read the situation well. To be honest, I didn’t know that I had broken such a record. I have never paid attention to records or statistics. I knew before that match that I was at 40 wickets, but during the match, I wasn’t thinking about breaking the record,” he added.
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