Mohammed Shami returns with a 4-wicket haul on comeback

Indian pacer Mohammed Shami has been out of action since the third Test of the five-match series against England. He recently completed his rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy and was ready to be a part of Team India for the 3rd Test in Ranchi but was advised to play the Vijay Hazare Trophy instead. His home side Bengal made it to the final and thus Shami got a great opportunity to test his match fitness.

The Manoj Tiwary led side had a great journey in the tournament and defeated MS Dhoni’s Jharkhand in the semi-final to cruise into the final. Tamil Nadu skipper Vijay Shankar won the toss and decided to bat first that meant the fans at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium in New Delhi would get to see Shami bowl early in the day.

He didn’t open the bowling and was brought in as the first change bowler. Like he does so often the right-arm pacer struck in the very first over, a back of the length delivery came into Baba Aparajith and struck him on the pads. Though the batsman was a bit unlucky there to be given out on a delivery that would have missed the leg stump Shami had a success first up.

Later returning for his second spell in the last part of the inning he dismissed M Mohammed with a beautiful slower delivery and in the same over also booked a return for Sai Kishore with another change of pace. Tamil Nadu were 9 down then but wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik was dominating the proceedings having already scored a hundred.

The second delivery of Shami’s 8th over was a full toss down the leg-side and we have seen so often that sometimes the lose balls also get the bowler a wicket and something similar happened here. Karthik went on the back foot trying to play the ball but missed it and the full swing of his bat went on to chip the bails and he was dismissed hit-wicket.

Shami bowled 8.2 overs was the only Bengal bowler to bowl a maiden and picked 4 wickets spending just 26 runs. TN posted 218 but Bengal failed to chase it down and lost the final. Watch his spell

Watch his spell here