“I had swelling in my knee…”: Shami reveals how he played 2015 World Cup fighting pain

Indian pacer Mohammed Shami on Tuesday revealed how he played the 2015 Cricket World Cup without being 100 per cent fit and took injections after matches that kept him going throughout the competition. Shami was one of India’s biggest stars of World Cup. In India’s remarkable campaign that saw the team finish runners-up to Australia and register an unbeaten ten-match winning streak, Shami took 24 wickets.

His wickets came in seven matches at an average of 10.70 and a strike rate of 12.20, with the best bowling figures of 7/57. He took three five-wicket hauls in the tournament and broke several bowling records. He ended up as the leading wicket-taker in the tournament.

But the 2015 edition of the tournament, which also marked Shami’s debut 50-over World Cup, was not easy. He experienced swelling in his knee before the tournament and had to choose between going through surgery straight away or after the tournament. “I had swelling in my knee before the 2015 tournament. Someone else could have said no but I have the ability to bear pain and I was told two options–either directly go for surgery or play the tournament and then go for the surgery. While the team would return to the hotel after every match, I would go to the hospital to take the injection. When you play for the country, you forget everything,” Shami shared in the interview with PUMA, the company for which he is a brand ambassador.

Shami later underwent a knee operation. “I was unconscious for two hours. When I woke up, I asked the doctor when I could start playing. He replied it will be a big achievement if you walk without a limp, forget playing. It all depends on how you go about your rehab,” Shami said. Shami played seven matches in the 2015 World Cup and ended with 17 wickets, with the best bowling figures of 4/35. He ended up as the tournament’s fourth-highest wicket-taker and helped India reach the semi-finals, where they lost to Australia.

The pacer has not looked back since. His comeback journey has been inspirational. He not only surpassed bowling greats like Anil Kumble, Zaheer Khan and Javagal Srinath to become the highest wicket-taker for the country in the world’s biggest cricket tournament with 55 wickets from 18 matches, but also created history earlier in the semi-finals when he registered India’s best ODI bowling figures of 7/57 against New Zealand. The 33-year-old shared his secret that helps him perform better. “Generally, bowlers check the pitch after arriving at the ground. I never go close to the wicket because you will know how it behaves only when you bowl on it. Then why take the pressure? It is best to keep it simple, keep yourself relaxed and only then you will perform better,” said Shami, as he also revealed that he does not follow any pre-match ritual.

“Better hai aap subah utho, mast fresh hojao, chaay peeyo, gaane suno [it’s better you wake up, get fresh, have tea and listen to songs],” he added. Although Shami was in stellar form in the tournament, he had to sit out for the initial few matches.

In the interview, he shared that it bothered him but the team’s performance made him happy. “When you sit out for four matches, you need to be mentally strong. Sometimes you are under pressure but when you see the team performing well and going in a good direction, it gives you satisfaction.” He added that he does not look at record books and only tries to take as many wickets as possible.

Shami is India’s World Cup legend. He is the fifth-highest wicket-taker in tournament history, with the highest wicket-taker being Australia’s Glenn McGrath with 71 scalps in 39 World Cup games. With 229 wickets in Tests, 195 scalps in ODIs and 24 wickets in T20Is, Shami has a total of 448 international wickets in 188 matches and is India’s eighth-highest wicket-taker. (ANI)

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)