Seasoned Indian pacer Zaheer Khan predicts that Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah will lead the Men in Blue’s pace battery during the T20 World Cup. India, the 2007 ICC World T20 champions, won their T20I series against Afghanistan 3-0 last night. On Wednesday, in a thrilling double Super Over match in Bengaluru, Team India led by Rohit Sharma emerged victorious over the team without Rashid Khan. India’s last Twenty20 International assignment before the 2024 World Cup was this three-match series.
When India revealed their playing eleven for the England series, veteran bowler Mohammed Shami was conspicuously missing. India’s speed assault includes Avesh Khan and Mukesh Kumar in addition to front-line pacers Siraj and Bumrah.
Zaheer selected Shami as the X-factor option for Rohit’s team when discussing India’s fast-bowling attack for the next ICC event on Colors Cineple. “I feel you will see (Jasprit) Bumrah and (Mohammed) Siraj for sure. After that, Arshdeep (Singh), you will get a slight variation because he is a left-armer. He bowls good yorkers. So that is an added advantage. Then I believe (Mohammed) Shami because if he is fit and available, he can be an X-factor option for you during the World Cup. So I will pick these four pacers because four pacers should go for sure,” Zaheer averred.
The One Day International (ODI) World Cup in 2023 marked the last time fast bowler Shami participated in competitive cricket. The senior pacer was the top wicket-taker at the end of the ICC World Cup. Shami’s fitness was a determining factor in his selection to the Indian team for the South Africa series. Shami was eventually removed from the squad for the Test series against the Proteas after the BCCI medical staff determined that he was not fit to play.
