Shami’s extraordinary seven-wicket haul, combined with Virat Kohli‘s record 50th ODI century, stole the limelight as India secured a convincing 70-run victory over New Zealand in the World Cup semifinal at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium.Shami’s spellbound the cricketing world, overshadowing Ashish Nehra’s 6/23 against England in the 2003 World Cup, making it the best-ever performance by an Indian in World Cup history.
His figures, 7/57 in 9.5 overs at an economy rate of 5.79, also rank as the fifth-best in World Cup history, with Australia’s Glenn McGrath’s 7/15 against Namibia in 2003 leading the chart.
The veteran pacer also achieved the milestone of 50 World Cup wickets, becoming the seventh bowler to do so and remarkably the fastest, accomplishing it in just 17 innings, surpassing Mitchell Starc‘s previous record of 19 innings.
Across 17 matches, Shami boasts 54 wickets at an astonishing average of 12.90, an economy rate slightly above 5, and a remarkable strike rate of 15.33. His stellar performance places him as the sixth-highest wicket-taker in World Cup history, with Australia’s Glenn McGrath holding the record with 71 wickets in 39 matches.
Shami now boasts four five-wicket hauls in Cricket World Cup history, securing the top spot in this regard. In the ongoing WC 2023, he has taken an impressive 23 wickets in six matches, leading the wicket charts with an average of 9.13. His outstanding tally includes three five-fors and a four-wicket haul in the tournament.
(With ANI inputs)