One doesn’t know for sure if Mohammed Shami will join the Team India squad in Australia for the ongoing Test series, but the senior pacer is having a gala time turning out for Bengal in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy.
In Monday’s pre-quarterfinal clash against Chandigarh in Bengaluru, Shami was Bengal’s second-highest run-getter with an unbeaten 17-ball 32 and conceded only 25 runs off his four overs with a wicket. In other words, he played a key role in Bengal’s narrow three-run win.
Chandigarh could reach only 156/9 after Bengal managed 159/9 after being put into bat. By no means would Bengal have been able to set their opponents a 160-run target if not for Shami’s unbeaten knock at No.10, which included three boundaries and a couple of maximums.
At 114/8 in the 16th over, Bengal were in danger of being bowled out well short of their full quote of overs had Shami not stood up with the long handle alongside stitching a crucial 24-run stand with left-arm spinner Pradipta Pramanik (30 off 24 balls). Following Pramanik’s dismissal in the 19th over, Shami ensured No.11 batter Sayan Ghosh faced no more than just three balls. He took most of the strike himself and unleashed meaty blows that helped Bengal close in on the 160 mark.
Shami didn’t spare the rod to Chandigarh’s seasoned medium-pacer and IPL specialist Sandeep Sharma, smashing him over sweeper-cover for a couple of sixes before dispatching a full-toss past the mid-wicket region for a boundary in the final over of Bengal’s innings.
Then, with the ball, the 34-year-old struck as early as the third ball of the run chase, dismissing opener Arslan Khan. That was Shami’s only wicket of the game, but more importantly, he bowled as many as 13 dots in his
first three overs which cost him only 13. That’s not too easy bowling on the Chinnaswamy track.
Such economical bowling was almost as important as the contribution of medium-
pacer Ghosh, whose 4/30 ensured Shami’s efforts didn’t go to waste.
In Wednesday’s quarter-final clash against Baroda, Bengal will have to deal with India’s T20 star Hardik Pandya and his brother Krunal. No wonder Shami will again have a massive role to play if Bengal are to progress further in the tournament.
To prove his fitness, Shami bowled 43.2 overs in his first competitive game post-recovery — the Ranji Trophy clash against Madhya Pradesh in Indore. Thereafter, he has featured in all eight of Bengal’s Syed Mushtaq Ali matches so far. So, it may sound a little strange if people who currently matter in Indian cricket still question his fitness.
Brief scores: Bengal 159/9 (Mohammed Shami 32 n.o.; Jagjit Singh 4/21). Chandigarh 156/9 (Sayan Ghosh 4/30, Mohammed Shami 1/25). Bengal won by 3 runs.
