Indian pacer Mohammed Shami has shared his insights into his plans for the upcoming T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the United States. With India set to face Ireland on June 5 in their first match at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, Shami, who has been recovering from an ankle injury, expressed his focus on the crucial Indian Premier League (IPL) season ahead.
Shami, who was absent from the recent Test series against South Africa, believes that the IPL will play a pivotal role in determining his readiness for the T20 World Cup. He emphasized the importance of team selection based on current form and performance.
“There’s still a lot of time. There’s an IPL before that. Whoever is playing well should be picked for the T20 World Cup. It’s important to select the team based on the combination. If I’m performing well, I should be selected. Who will say no to the World Cup?” remarked Shami during an interview with News 24.
The ongoing T20I series against Afghanistan marks India’s final white-ball assignment before the World Cup in June. Shami, along with fellow pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, was rested for the series, with India leading 2-0.
Shami also commented on Hardik Pandya’s move from Gujarat Titans to Mumbai Indians, highlighting the transient nature of player transitions in cricket.
“Kisike jane se kisiko farak nahi padta (See, it doesn’t matter who is leaving). You have to see the team’s balance. Hardik was there, he captained us well. He took us to the final in both editions, and we won once. But Gujarat hadn’t signed Hardik for a lifetime. He decides to stay or leave,” explained Shami, emphasizing the inevitability of players coming and going.
Shami concluded by offering insights into leadership responsibilities, mentioning Shubman Gill’s captaincy role, and emphasizing the need for effective player management to extract the best performances.
