Mohammed Shami

Although known for his laidback attitude, Shami is nothing but a menace to face on the pitch. The right-arm fast bowler is a hit-the-deck bowler whose skills come to the forefront with the new and old ball alike. His ball is often described as ‘heavy’, meaning it hits the bat hard and feels faster than it actually is. The pacer has been a constant for India in the last decade and continues to deliver for his IPL franchise, the Gujarat Titans, as well.

Mohammed Shami Career Highlights

• 2nd Indian to take a hat-trick in the ODI World Cup.
• Become the fastest Indian to take 150 ODI wickets in 2022.
• Best bowling strike rate in ODI World Cups (minimum 20 wickets).
• Best figures for an Indian bowler in ODIs (7/57) in the India vs New Zealand semi-final in the ODI World Cup 2023.

Mohammed Shami Awards

• Arjuna Award (2023)
• ICC Men’s ODI Team of the Year (2023)
• Polly Umrigar Award: Best Men’s International Cricketer (2019-20)

Career

Domestic Career

Mohammed Shami’s journey began in 2010, when he made his first-class debut for Bengal. It was around that time that he was picked by the Kolkata Knight Riders but failed to get a game. In the coming years, he performed consistently in List A and first-class, and he finally made his debut for India and in the IPL in 2013.

IPL Career

Shami was picked by his home franchise, the Kolkata Knight Riders, in 2011. He played for them for three years but was not given game time until 2013. His poor returns saw him move to the Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals), where he spent the next five years but failed to impress.

By the end of 2018, he had played 35 matches and picked up just 21 wickets. He moved to the Punjab Kings (formerly Kings XI Punjab) in 2019 and became the bowler we now know him as. He played his first-ever full season in 2019 and picked up 19 wickets. He followed that up with 20 and 19 wickets in the 2020 and 2021 editions of the league, respectively.

However, he was ultimately let go ahead of the IPL mega auction in 2022 and picked up by the Gujarat Titans. In his first season with the Titans, he picked up 20 scalps and won the IPL trophy for the first time. The following season, he won the purple cap for the first time with 28 wickets to his name and reached the Final with the Titans. 

International Career

Test Career

Shami made his Test debut in November 2013. He had an immediate impact, taking 9 wickets in his first match. Since making his debut, Shami has been a constant member of the Test team and has 12 four-wicket and 6 five-wicket hauls to his name. Shami has also played in two World Test Championship finals for India.

ODI Career

Mohammed Shami is one of the best strike bowlers in ODI cricket history. He has played in three ODI World Cups for India and is the country’s highest wicket-taker in the tournament. He also holds the record for the best average and strike in ODI World Cups and has the best bowling figures for an Indian bowler in ODIs.

T20 International Career

In the shortest format, Shami has found the least success. The 33-year-old has played just 23 T20Is in his 8-year career. Shami has 24 wickets at 29.62 while giving away nearly 9 runs an over. The fast bowler has no four-wicket or five-wicket hauls in T20I cricket.

Additional Info

• Nickname: Lala
• Controversies: Mohammed Shami was accused of domestic violence, adultery, and match-fixing in 2018 by his ex-wife Hasin Jahan. The lethal bowler was cleared of all charges by 2023.