'A remarkable achievement' - Sourav Ganguly congratulates Mohammed Shami on 100th first-class appearance

Mohammed Shami will reach his 100th first-class appearance when East Zone face South Zone at MA Chidambaram Stadium on September 6, 2026. The milestone comes as Shami continues his domestic cricket commitments in the ongoing Duleep Trophy. Shami has played 99 first-class matches to date and taken 382 wickets across his career in the format.

The Cricket Association of Bengal held a felicitation ceremony for Shami in Chennai on September 5, 2026, the day before the Duleep Trophy final. CAB Treasurer Sanjoy Das conducted the ceremony, with East Zone captain Ishan Kishan and several teammates present. The association presented Shami with a silver salver, a special jersey carrying his name and the number 100 on the back, and a cricket ball signed by CAB president Sourav Ganguly.

"Dear Shami, congratulations on achieving this amazing feat - 100 first-class matches. As a fast bowler in the subcontinent, it's a remarkable achievement. I've seen you grow; I've played with you. It was the early stages of your career and the end of my international career. I always knew there was talent, but I'm extremely happy that you've used that talent to go this distance," Ganguly said in a video released on Facebook.

"And I enjoy the games. You're playing the Duleep Trophy final - it will be an icing on the cake if you win it. Your performances over the years have been fantastic, especially in Test cricket. You know, when fast bowlers shy away from playing Test cricket, you have a day-in, day-out run-in for India. Heartiest congratulations once again from my side and everyone at the Cricket Association of Bengal and the state of West Bengal. You know, it's a fabulous achievement. Enjoy the game and hope to see you soon," he added.

Shami's first-class career record

Shami's career in first-class cricket has been marked by consistent performances. His best bowling figures in the format stand at 8/90, and he has taken 15 five-wicket hauls across his 99 matches. In the ongoing Duleep Trophy, Shami has picked up five wickets at an average of 28.80, with best figures of 3/56 as defending champions Central Zone were knocked out of the competition.

Shami will become only the sixth Indian bowler to play 100 first-class matches. His last international appearance came during the Champions Trophy final in March 2025. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar has stated that Shami is not considered fit for the longest format at present, despite his continued first-class appearances for Bengal.