Mohammed Shami once again delivers for India at the ICC knockout match

At the conclusion of the first semi-final, when India secured a nervy four-wicket win over Australia, Harsha Bhogle, on air, remarked that it was a "very easy choice" to pick the Player of the Match. The obvious pick was Virat Kohli, who once again delivered a chasing masterclass, especially against his favourite opponents, Australia. His composed 84 not out guided India across the line in a tense run chase, helping them reach their straight final in an ICC white-ball event. However, while Kohli’s knock was undeniably brilliant, there was another player who equally deserved the Player of the Match accolade—Mohammed Shami. The right-arm pacer played a crucial role in India’s victory, not just with the ball but also by setting the tone early in Australia’s innings.

Mohammed Shami picked the decisive wicket of Steve Smith to stop the Aussies

Mohammed Shami’s contributions were as significant as Kohli’s in the context of the match. His crucial wickets and intelligent bowling in the middle overs helped stifle the Australian batting attack, making India’s chase far more manageable. While Kohli’s brilliance in the chase often steals the limelight, Shami’s all-round performance in both bowling and creating pressure with his timely breakthroughs was pivotal to India’s success. His match-winning contributions were just as valuable, and both he and Kohli played equally important roles in securing the win.

Ahead of the semi-final, much of the pre-match discussion revolved around the "slow" nature of the pitch and how spinners would dominate the game. The surface was so dry that both teams decided to field as many as four spinners. Australia, in a bold move, dropped their 140 kph seamer to include a leg spinner—a rare occurrence in modern-day limited-overs cricket. Both teams essentially wrote off the seamers, assuming pace would be largely irrelevant in the game.

However, in a surprising twist, it was Mohammed Shami who stood out as one of the best bowlers of the day, defying the prevailing expectations. Shami finished with impressive figures of 3/48 off his 10 overs, providing India with crucial breakthroughs at key moments. His performance was the standout among the bowlers of both sides, and he delivered the most decisive wicket of the match when he removed Steve Smith, the anchor of Australia’s innings.

Shami’s skillful seam bowling on a surface that was supposed to favor spinners was the perfect example to his adaptability and experience. While the spinners did indeed play important roles, it was Shami’s pace that turned out to be the game-changer, highlighting his invaluable contribution to India’s semi-final victory. His efforts showcased the versatility of pace bowling, even on slower pitches, and underlined his importance in India's bowling attack. Mohammed Shami is one of those bowlers who thrives on rhythm, and it’s usually clear within just a few deliveries whether he’s in his zone or not. On the day of the India vs Australia semi-final, it became evident very early that Shami was feeling it.

Dubai’s pitch offered some swing and seam movement for the fast bowlers, and Shami made the most of it right from the start. He began with a vicious outswinger that was called a wide, but it immediately signaled that he was in good rhythm. Soon after, Shami came agonizingly close to dismissing Travis Head for a golden duck. A beautifully angled delivery induced a leading edge, and Shami leapt to his right to try and catch the return, but the chance went begging.

Despite missing that opportunity, Shami’s intensity was unmistakable. His aggression and ability to exploit the conditions kept the Australian batters under pressure throughout his spell. It was clear that when Shami is in this kind of rhythm, he is a formidable force, and his bowling would play a crucial role in India’s success on the day. Shami didn’t exactly make up for the missed catch off Travis Head, but he certainly delivered a masterclass with the new ball against young Cooper Connolly. The pacer repeatedly beat Connolly's outside edge half-a-dozen times in a row, making the youngster look clueless. After a series of near-misses, Shami finally removed Connolly by bowling the exact same delivery for a seventh time, leaving the left-hander stranded.

Although Shami was hit for three consecutive boundaries by Head in his third over, his spell with the new ball was far more impressive than the numbers suggested. Despite conceding a few runs, Shami's 3-0-17-1 figures reflected a performance that was full of discipline and control. The deliveries were consistently challenging the batters, and even in the face of the occasional boundary, Shami's persistence and skill were evident. His ability to generate swing and seam movement in the early overs was key in putting pressure on Australia, and while the runs might not have been in his favour, his impact on the game was undeniable.

There’s been a lot of talk about Shami lacking sharpness and not being fully fit, especially when compared to his sensational form in the 2023 ODI World Cup. While he may not be at that level yet, the best athletes, like Shami, find ways to overpower opponents with their skill, even when not at their peak. In Dubai, Shami was the only specialist seamer in the Indian side, and his role became even more challenging when Hardik Pandya struggled, conceding 40 runs in just 5.3 overs. The surface wasn’t ideal for seamers, with both teams relying heavily on their spinners. Despite these challenges, Shami’s performance was impressive. His ability to consistently challenge the batters with skill and persistence, even when conditions weren’t in his favour, made him a standout performer, showing that his experience and craft can shine through, even when he's not at his very best.