"You give him a flat pitch and he picks up a 5-wicket haul" - Aakash Chopra lauds Mohammed Shami's spell in IND vs NZ World Cup 2023 clash

Aakash Chopra has lauded Mohammed Shami for bowling a potent spell in India's World Cup 2023 clash against New Zealand.

Shami registered figures of 5/54 in 10 overs as the Men in Blue bowled out the Kiwis for 273 in Dharamsala on Sunday, October 22. The hosts then chased down the target with four wickets and two overs to spare to climb atop the points table with five consecutive wins.

Reviewing the game in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra praised the Indian bowlers, especially Shami, for staging a brilliant comeback after New Zealand seemed headed to a massive total. He said (4:35):

"The story would have looked extremely different if 300 had been scored. The Indian bowlers made a stellar comeback. Shami picked up five wickets. He picked up five wickets in Mohali as well (against Australia). You give him a flat pitch and he picks up a five-wicket haul."

The former India opener questioned whether Rohit Sharma and company should leave out the veteran seamer just for a little additional batting depth. He elaborated:

"No one looks close to him when he is in form. It is a fact, listen to it, understand it, and think about it. You think about leaving him out because you need batting at No. 8 but if it's Shami's day and he gives you 5 wickets, you don't need batting at No. 8."

Shami got Will Young to inside-edge the first ball he bowled onto his stumps. He later dismissed Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Matt Henry and Daryl Mitchell to complete his five-wicket haul.

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"If Mohammed Shami had not played this match, the opposing team might have made 305" - Aakash Chopra

Mohammed Shami was awarded the Player of the Match for his penetrative spell. [P/C: AP]

Aakash Chopra pointed out that Mohammed Shami's wicket-taking burst helped India restrict New Zealand to an achievable target. He stated (5:15):

"If Mohammed Shami had not played this match, the opposing team might have made 305, and 305 wouldn't have been chased. Either Ravichandran Ashwin or Shardul Thakur would have come at No. 8 and it wouldn't have gotten chased."

The reputed commentator added that he would pick a specialist bowler like Shami ahead of an all-rounder like Shardul Thakur. He observed:

"If there is a toss-up between the two, I would say go with your full bowlers, because if it's a good day for the bowler, he will make it count. The bowler you are making sit outside is actually an amazing wicket-taker. He picked up a five-wicket haul and was the Player of the Match."

Chopra also praised Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and Ravindra Jadeja for bowling economical spells. He highlighted that the trio might have accounted for just two scalps between them but their spells enabled wickets to be taken from the other end.