India have finally broken the knockout jinx against New Zealand in the ICC events beating them for the first time. The men in blue won by 70 runs defending a mammoth total of 397 runs in the first semifinal at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai and entered the final in style. They have now won 10 matches on a trot, the second best streak in the World Cup history.
While that streak is second best, Mohammed Shami, India pacer, is fast becoming the best in the history of mega event. The man has played only six matches so far in the tournament and picked up 23 wickets at an average of 9.13 with three five-wicket hauls to his name. He also became the fastest to 50 wickets in World Cup reaching the milestone in just 18 innings bettering Mitchell Starc’s effort who did it in 19 innings.
Not only this, Shami also became the first ever bowler in World Cup to pick up four five-wicket hauls. He had picked up a fifer in the previous edition of World Cup aganst eventual champions England and then scalps three such hauls in this World Cup to achieve the unthinkable. No other bowler before Shami picked up five-wicket haul four times in World Cup and the best effort in this regard was of Mitchell Starc who snared three such hauls.
But Shami has quickly gone past everyone after coming into India’s playing XI since the fourth match of the World Cup. With final set to be played on Sunday (November 19), Shami will be keen on bringing more laurels to country with his bowling.
Most five-wicket hauls in World Cup history
| Players | Five-wicket hauls |
| Mohammed Shami | 4 |
| Mitchell Starc | 3 |
| Shaheen Afridi | 2 |
| Mustafizur Rahman | 2 |
| Shahid Afridi | 2 |