Impressive Mohammad Shami ends 2019 as top ODI wicket taker

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Indian Pacer Mohammed Shami’s newer avatar has earned him the accolade of being the top ODI Wicket taker in 2019. Shami who was a permanent fixture in the test team, got a look in the One-day setup after Bumrah was rested for the One day series against New Zealand in January, 2019.

Shami was the pick of the bowler in the series against New Zealand and Australia at hoe which helped him book a ticket to the world cup in June-July 2019. Shami who was overlooked for the first few games in the world cup as Bhuvneshwar Kumar got injured in the game against Pakistan.

Shami’s first chance in the world cup came against Afghanistan where Afghanistan took India to the last over as it was to the fast bowler from Amroha to defend 16 runs against a confident Nabi and young Ikhram Ali Khil. The Indian Pacer took a hat-trick to help India win the game and set a foot into the semi-finals of the World Cup.

Shami then completed a four-wicket haul and five-wicket haul against West Indies and England to finish at 14 wickets at an astonishing average of 13.48 in the few opportunities he got in the World Cup.

Shami topped this chart for the second time after the pacer took 38 wickets in 2014 and this year he finished at 42 wickets in 21 games, being India’s most successful pacer in 2019. He also overshadowed the performances of the Indian spinning duo Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav who took 29 and 32 wickets of the opportunities they got this year.

Apart from Mohammed Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar also featured in the list as the Merrut-born swing bowler took 33 wickets in 19 opportunities he got this year. The other bowlers who were on the list were, Trent Boult, Mustafizur Rahman and Lockie Ferguson.

Trent Boult and Lockie Ferguson were the part of the kiwi team which reached the finals of the World Cup for the second time running. Bangladeshi prodigy Mustafizur Rahman also got wickets to his name as the pacer from Dhaka got 34 wickets in 16 One Day Internationals.

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