Credit: Twitter
Former Pakistan pacer Wasim Akram praised Indian fast bowler Mohammad Shami while analysing his bowling technique in the ongoing season of the ODI World Cup 2023. The Indian bowler has taken two five-wicket hauls in the current season of the tournament. Analysing his game in the megaevent, Akram said that Shami allows him to optimise the pitch conditions.
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The former cricketer was in a conversation with A Sports, where he said, "For starters, as a bowler, the confidence at this level has got to be like 'I am one of the best', and these guys have that confidence. Once you have that, then all the hard work you have done over the years. Shami's every delivery hits the seam, it's not wobbly, just goes straight and kisses the pitch. He doesn't bang the ball in.”
Not only this, but the 57-year-old also took the example of Ben Stokes’ dismissal in the India vs England clash of the tournament. Shami had delivered out-swingers to Stokes before finally casting the ball inwards to dismiss him. The ex-cricketer said that despite changing the length of the ball, Shami’s ability to move the ball made it extremely difficult for the batter.
Akram went on to say, “Stokes had no clue what to do. Look at his length, came around the wicket to seam out, and then the last ball he brought in. But his length and seam position never changed, off-stump or top of off-stump. Wahi se andar, wahi se bahar. That's why he is so difficult.”
Notably, the Men in Blue will lock horns with the Netherlands on November 12 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
