In the first ODI against Australia in Mohali, Mohammed Shami showcased his bowling prowess, securing an impressive figure of 5 for 51. Despite not being a regular in India’s first-choice XI for the World Cup, Shami delivered a stellar performance with his second five-wicket haul in ODIs.
Opting to bowl first in favorable batting conditions, India’s captain KL Rahul made a wise decision. Shami opened the bowling and was virtually unplayable during his initial spell. He later returned to dismiss the well-set Steve Smith, disrupting Australia’s momentum.
While wicketkeeper Jos Inglis (45 off 45 balls) and Marcus Stoinis (29 off 21 balls) contributed 62 runs for the sixth wicket, Shami’s timely dismissal of Stoinis halted their scoring. Despite starts from David Warner (52 off 53 balls), Steve Smith (41 off 60 balls), and Marnus Labuschagne (39 off 49 balls), Australia struggled to convert these into big scores.
Shardul Thakur, the weakest link among India’s pacers, went wicketless, conceding 78 runs in 10 overs. A missed catch by Shreyas Iyer off Warner’s bat added to his woes.
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Ravichandran Ashwin, who appeared rusty in his initial spell, found his rhythm during the second. He conceded 36 runs in his first six overs but improved to 4-0-11-1 during his second spell.
Shami’s brilliant bowling performance stole the show, underlining his versatility as a seam and swing bowler. He displayed his variations throughout the match, troubling the Australian batsmen with his crafty deliveries. In the very first over, Shami dismissed Mitchell Marsh, and later, his sharp in-cutter led to Smith’s wicket.
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Despite Shami’s brilliance, he often doesn’t feature in India’s first-choice pace bowling lineup. However, his performance against Australia underscored his exceptional skills and the magic in his fingers and wrists.
