Mohammed Shami Ahmed (born 3 September 1990) is an Indian international cricketer who bowls for the Indian national team in all forms. He plays for Bengal in the Bengal Premier League and Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League.
Mohammed Shami is a right-arm fast bowler who has bowled at over 140 km/h (87 mph) on a consistent basis, moving the ball off the seam and utilising swing, especially reverse swing, to move the ball both ways. He’s been described as a fine bowler at the conclusion of limited-overs innings and as “unplayable” at times across all formats.
Early Life
Mohammed Shami was born in a distant town in Uttar Pradesh to a fast-bowler-turned-farmer. His father saw a spark in only one of his five children and took him to a renowned coach in Moradabad, the closest city to their village. He was a bundle of energy, a strong worker with stamina, and he was trained like a workhorse under the watchful eye of Badruddin Siddique.
Shami was urged to travel to Kolkata by his coach after being snubbed from the U-19 selections owing to alleged politically-corrupt selections. He was taken under Debabrata Das’s wing to the point of living under his roof, and he just about made it to the U-22 Bengal side.
| Full Name | Mohammed Shami Ahemdi |
| Nickname | Lalaji |
| Date Of Birth | 3 September 1990 |
| Age | 31 years |
| Birthplace | Amroha, Uttar Pradesh, India |
| Father | Tousif Ali |
| Mother | Anjum Ara |
| Brother | Mohammed Asif, Md Hasib Ahmad, Mohammed Kaif |
| Sister | Sabina Anjum |
| IPL Debut | 8 April 2013 Vs Rajasthan Royals |
| International Test Debut | 6 November 2013 Vs West Indies |
| International ODI Debut | 6 January 2013 Vs Pakistan |
| International T20 Debut | 21 March 2014 Vs Pakistan |
| Bowling Style | Right-Arm Fast Bowler |
| Networth | $ 6 Million Approx |
Debut
Mohammed Shami was chosen for the West Indies A tour in 2012 after a string of outstanding domestic performances. Shami was quickly proving to be one of the stand-out and diverse performers on the Indian domestic circuit, with an amazing 10-wicket haul at the green Eden track and an unprecedented 11-wicket haul at the relatively difficult Indore surface.
Shami gradually worked his way into the national team, and he made his ODI debut in early 2013. Shami made his international debut against Pakistan in a One Day International (ODI) in January 2013, bowling four maiden overs. He is the Indian bowler who has taken the most ODI wickets in the shortest amount of time.
His Test debut, against the touring West Indies, was sensational. In the two-match series, he reverse-swung the old ball significantly and at a good velocity, taking 11 wickets at 16.54. In the summer that followed, Shami and Bhuvneshwar Kumar scored India’s second-highest 10th wicket partnership in Tests, putting on 111 runs against England in Nottingham.
World Cup Glory
Mohammed Shami demonstrated his worth in gold in the 2015 World Cup, taking 17 wickets and finishing as one of the tournament’s top wicket-takers. Mohammed Shami was India’s leading fast bowler at the 2015 World Cup in Australia, when the team advanced to the semi-finals after taking 77 of the 80 available wickets. It was eventually revealed that he had played through the entire tournament – as well as the prior Test series against the hosts – due to a knee injury.
There were also plenty of frustrating moments. Shami hoped to return to the Indian team in early 2016, but a hamstring injury prevented him from participating in a limited-overs tour of Australia and the Asia Cup in February. He was included to a 15-man squad for the World T20 in March, but after a year away from international cricket, he was unable to break into the XI.
Mohammed Shami became the second Indian bowler to claim a hat-trick in a World Cup match during the 2019 Cricket World Cup. Shami has an A grade central contract from the Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) as of 2022, the second highest contract grade.
IPL Career
Mohammed Shami received only a few opportunities as a member of his home franchise, the Kolkata Knight Riders. In 2014, after a strong international debut, the Delhi Daredevils purchased him for Rs. 4.25 crore. Shami has been costly with the ball in the Indian Premier League, and injuries haven’t helped his situation.
With an IPL economy rate of more than 9, his 5-year connection with Delhi came to an end when the franchise opted to release him. Shami was signed by Kings XI Punjab for Rs 4.40 crore at the 2019 IPL auctions. Shami, who has restored his form in white-ball cricket, will be an important piece in KXIP’s quest for their first IPL victory.
