New Delhi: Indian pacer Mohammed Shami saw a scratchy start to the match against Pakistan on Sunday at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai. Coming into the match on the back of a match-winning spell against Bangladesh, the 34-year-old pacer took 11 balls to complete his first over against Pakistan openers Babar Azam and Imam-ul-Haq.
After India were asked to bowl first as Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan won the toss and opted to bat first, Shami was handed the new ball to start the proceedings. He started with a dot ball to Imam and then three wide deliveries were bowled in between just one legal delivery. Shami bowled three legitimate deliveries later with a dot to Imam followed by a single by the southpaw and another dot was played by Babar.
However, the Indian speedster couldn’t smoothly finish his last ball of the first over with two wide balls were witnessed before he bowled one dot against Babar to end the 11-ball over.
With this gruelling over, Shami now holds the unwanted record for the longest over by an Indian bowler in the Champions Trophy. He went past Jaspri Bumrah’s nine-ball over, which was also bowled against Pakistan in the 2017 Champions Trophy final at The Oval.
Shami’s injury scare moment after bowling longest over
There was a moment of injury scare for the senior Indian bowler after he was seen walking towards the dugout after the completion of his over. When he returned back to bowl the third over, Shami looked in discomfort while clutching the left calf area. And then after completing the fifth over, wherein he conceded just three runs, Shami was off the field in the Indian dressing room.
Apparently the injury concerns were visible but it was soon clear that the bowler was fit when he returned to the field to roll his arms for the 12th over of the innings. Shami claimed 5 for 53 in India’s six-wicket win over Bangladesh in the tournament opener.
Mohammed Shami’s opening over against Pakistan in the Champions Trophy match was the slowest ever bowled by an Indian in the tournament’s history. His over, which involved five wide deliveries makes, is the longest over bowled by an Indian in Champions Trophy. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
