India’s veteran seamer was on song in the first ODI versus Australia in Mohali as he claimed his best bowling figures in ODI cricket – 5/51 to help India limit the visitors to 276 in 50 overs. Shami looked in rhythm right from the word go and jolted the Aussies early with the wicket of Mitchell Marsh who came to open the ininngs alongside David Warner.
Marsh was undone by a brilliant delivery that came in with the angle and then moved away after pitching. The ball took the outside edge and went into the hands of Shubman Gill fielding at a wide-ish slip.
Shami got the better of Steve Smith and helped India make a comeback in the game. Smith was batting on 41 and looked set and en route to a big score before the right-arm seamer put an end to his innings. The 33-year-old pacer dismissed Marcus Stionis, Matthew Short and Sean Abbott to claim his final three and completed his five-wicket haul.
His previous best was 5 for 69 which came against England at Edgbaston in Birmingham during the 2019 World Cup. This is Shami’s second five-for in One-Day cricket and the Amroha-born (Uttar Pradesh) has nine four-wicket hauls in the 50-overs format.
It was not the only record that Shami bagged in the game, he also became the second-highest wicket-taker for India against Australia in ODIs. Shami surpassed former India pacer and the incumbent chief selector of the All-India Senior Men’s selection committee Ajit Agrakar.
Shami now has 37 wickets against the Kangaroos in ODIs and is second to Kapil Dev who has claimed the most wickets (45) for the Men in Blue in ODI matches against Australia. India are chasing 277 runs to win the first ODI in Mohali. The 2nd game of the series will be played in Indore and the third and final One-Dayer will be played in Rajkot.
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