- Monday, April 21, 2025
The 33-year-old had a brilliant World Cup at home with the ball and one of his gestures when he kneeled down on the ground after a match was interpreted by many as an Indian Muslim who is afraid to offer prayers.
By: Shubham Ghosh
INDIAN fast bowler Mohammed Shami was a phenomenon in the recently held 50-over cricket World Cup in India. Despite missing his team’s first four matches when he sat on the reserve benches, the 33-year-old bowler ended up as the highest wicket-taking bowler in the tournament with 24 scalps in seven outings.
Replacing all-rounder Hardik Pandya who got ruled out with an ankle injury in the game against Bangladesh, Shami rattled almost every opponent that India played and took three five-wicket hauls and one four-fer with the best figures of 7 for 57 against New Zealand in the semi-final at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. It is the best bowling figure by an Indian bowler in one-day internationals.
His excellent performance with the ball drew appreciation from even prime minister Narendra Modi who also embraced him in the dressing room after India lost the final against Australia.
Read: Ahead of national polls, Shami at centre of India’s polarised politics with World Cup heroics
There was a moment of controversy when Shami kneeled on the ground after taking his fifth wicket against Sri Lanka in Mumbai. Many thought he was trying to offer prayers (Sajda) and it was also alleged that he did not complete it fearing a backlash.
When Shami was asked about the same in an interview on India’s Aaj Tak channel Wednesday (13), he was not stopped by anybody from offering prayers on the pitch. He then said that he is proud to be a Muslim and an Indian.
“If somebody wants to do Sajda, who will stop? I will not stop anybody from your religion, you will not stop anybody from my religion. If I have to do Sajda, I will do it. What is the problem? I say it with pride that I am Muslim. I am an Indian, I say it with pride that I am an Indian,” Shami was quoted as saying.
“If I had an issue, I wouldn’t have lived in India. If I need to take anyone’s permission to do Sajda, why should I live here. I have also seen those comments on social media. Have I ever done Sajda on the ground? I have taken five wickets before also, but have I ever done Sajda. If I have to do Sajda, tell me where to do it, I will do it.”
The cricketer, who has been nominated for the Arjuna Award, the second-highest sporting honour in India, said people who try to create unnecessary controversy should be avoided. He then revealed the real reason for kneeling down on the ground, saying he was too tired after bowling beyond his capacity but people took his gesture differently.
“I will do it on every stage in India. Nobody can stop me. These people try to create disturbance. These people are neither with me nor you. They don’t love anybody. They just need content. I kneeled down as I was bowling beyond my effort. I was tired. People took the gesture in a different way,” Shami, who is now five wickets short of 200 in the 50-over format, said.
The fast bowler, who blasted a former Pakistan cricketer for alleging that Indian bowlers were bowling different balls during the World Cup that gave them advantage, is currently going through treatment and is expected to join the Indian team for the two-Test series in South Africa starting December 26.
(With PTI inputs)
