Mohammed Shami: India’s Underrated Champion in ICC ODI Events

Indian pacer Mohammed Shami once again proved his worth on the big stage, delivering a match-winning performance in India’s ICC Champions Trophy opener against Bangladesh. His five-wicket haul (5/53) dismantled Bangladesh’s top order, setting the tone for India’s dominant six-wicket victory.

Shami’s latest performance reaffirms his status as one of India’s most dependable bowlers in ICC tournaments. Despite missing out on several games due to injuries and team selections, his impact in crucial moments has made him India’s go-to bowler in global events.

With his latest feat, Shami has now surpassed Zaheer Khan to become India’s highest wicket-taker in ICC ODI events, with 60 wickets to his name. His consistency across multiple ICC tournaments makes him one of the best performers in world cricket.

Among bowlers who have bowled at least ten innings in ICC ODI tournaments (World Cup and Champions Trophy), Shami has the best average (13.28) and the best strike rate (15.5), according to Wisden. His ability to strike regularly has placed him ahead of some of the biggest names in cricket history.

He has also registered five five-wicket hauls in ICC ODI events, two more than legendary bowlers such as Glenn McGrath, Mitchell Starc, and Mustafizur Rahman. Four of those fifers came in World Cup matches, proving his knack for delivering on the biggest stage.

Despite playing only 104 of India’s 251 ODIs since his debut in 2013, Shami has already secured his place among India’s greatest fast bowlers. He became the fastest Indian bowler to take 200 ODI wickets and the third-fastest overall. In terms of balls bowled, he is the fastest to reach the milestone, needing just 5,126 deliveries.

Even with limited appearances, Shami is India’s fifth-highest wicket-taker among pacers and eighth overall. No other Indian bowler has taken 200 ODI wickets in this period. Globally, only Mitchell Starc, Adil Rashid, and Trent Boult have taken more wickets since his debut.

Shami’s strike rate (25.4) is the best among all bowlers with 200-plus ODI wickets, outpacing legends such as Muttiah Muralitharan, Shane Warne, Wasim Akram, Brett Lee, Glenn McGrath, Waqar Younis, and Starc.

His ability to take five-wicket hauls consistently is another highlight of his career. With six five-fors in 104 innings, he has a five-wicket haul every 17.3 innings, a ratio bettered only by Starc (14.1). Only Waqar Younis and Boult come close to his efficiency in taking big hauls.

Shami’s success is not dependent on pitch conditions. His numbers remain impressive across all venues:

• Home ODIs – 24.89 average
• Away ODIs – 24.57 average
• Neutral venues – 19.15 average

These stats highlight his adaptability and effectiveness, whether playing in India, overseas, or on neutral grounds like the UAE and England.

Since 2020, Shami has played just 31 ODIs, including 19 in 2023, making sporadic appearances. He missed all ODIs in 2021 and played only three in 2022. However, when given a consistent run in 2023, he delivered his best ODI year, taking 43 wickets at an average of 16.46.

Injuries have often disrupted Shami’s career, but he has always made strong comebacks. His struggles with fitness are well-documented, including playing through pain during the 2015 World Cup, where he finished as India’s fourth-highest wicket-taker with 17 scalps.

Due to a shoulder injury, he missed the 2017 Champions Trophy and played only five ODIs between the 2015 and 2019 World Cups. Yet, he bounced back with an excellent 2019 World Cup campaign, taking 14 wickets in just four matches at an average of 13.

His 2023 World Cup campaign was even better, as he finished as the tournament’s highest wicket-taker with 24 wickets in seven matches at an average of 10.70. However, he suffered an ankle injury and underwent a lengthy rehabilitation process. When he returned to training, doubts arose about his fitness, but he once again silenced critics by delivering a match-winning performance in India’s Champions Trophy opener.

While he is most effective as a first-change bowler, Shami has proven himself across all bowling phases:

• First-Change Role – He thrives in this role, averaging 18.45 with 55 wickets in 22 innings at a strike rate of 20.1. He played this role effectively in the 2019 and 2023 World Cups, complementing Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj.
• New Ball Specialist – Shami also performs well with the new ball, boasting an average of 25.63 in 78 innings. His numbers are comparable to Dale Steyn, Waqar Younis, and Shaheen Shah Afridi, and only Bumrah has a better record among Indian pacers.
• Middle Overs (11-20) – He dominates this phase, averaging 17.7 and dismissing 66% of his victims in the top order.
• Death Overs (41-50) – Since his debut, Shami has taken the most wickets in the last ten overs among all ODI bowlers with a minimum of 300 balls bowled. While his economy rate (7.67) is on the higher side, his strike rate (14.28) is better than Bumrah, Starc, and Mustafizur Rahman. His mix of yorkers and cutters makes him an effective wicket-taking option in the final phase of an innings.