Who said what - top 5 expert reactions to Mohammed Shami's five-wicket haul in BAN vs IND 2025 Champions Trophy clash ft. Zaheer Khan

Mohammed Shami showed his wicket-taking knack is still alive as he emerged as India's finest bowler in the Champions Trophy clash against Bangladesh on Thursday (February 20) in Dubai. He finished with figures of 5/53 off 10 overs and played a key role in wrapping up Bangladesh's innings for 228.

Thereafter, Shubman Gill (101*) and KL Rahul (41*) were the top run-scorers for the Indian side, as they sealed the chase under 47 overs.

With these impressive figures, Shami became the fastest Indian pacer and joint-second fastest to reach 200 wickets in the ODI format. Moreover, he has now overtaken Zaheer Khan to become India's most successful bowler in ICC events with 74 wickets.

On that note, let's take a look at expert reactions to Mohammed Shami's five-wicket haul in the 2025 Champions Trophy.

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#1 Waqar Younis

In the post-match analysis on Sports Central, former Pakistan pacer Waqar Younis shared his take on Mohammed Shami's match-winning performance. As per Younis, Shami's tight lengths put Bangladesh under pressure, and he also feels the 34-year-old is a genuine wicket-taker.

The 53-year-old said (from 21:48):

"He is amazing honestly. Whenever he comes back, he comes back with a bang. Although, he was not not that oustanding, but he really bowled tight lengths. He bowled in difficult situation as well, and he picked up two wickets as well. He is a genuine wicket-taker and a match-winner."

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#2 Zaheer Khan

Former Indian pacer Zaheer Khan appeared on Cricbuzz Live to discuss India's impressive performance against Bangladesh. When the host asked about Mohammed Shami going past his record in ICC tournaments, Zaheer said (from 5:05 onwards):

"Shami and ICC tournaments is a great match-up. Somehow, you know things start rolling for him. He has shown that getting the rhythm going and as soon as the ICC tournament is there, those strike rates are going and getting better and better with each game."

"His wicket taking form in these tournaments is continuing. His record is outstanding when it comes to ICC tournaments," he added.

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#3 Mohammad Hafeez

Appearing on OutSide EDGE's post-match analysis, former Pakistan batter Mohammad Hafeez sang praises of Mohammed Shami's control of line and length in different phases of the game.

Hafeez feels Shami's performance often goes unnoticed, despite him being the finest performer for India in the ICC events. He said (from 10:50 onwards):

"He is a complete bowler. He knows how to bowl in all three phases of the game. Whether the new ball, he knows how to hit the right area in different conditions, whether it is seaming or not, he goes with the right line-length. In the middle-order, he knows the lengths according to conditions and situation of the game. In the death overs, he has used the yorkers."

"He always stays close to red-ball cricket, which has brought those performances. Shami is that bowler, who hasn't generated enough hype, but he is a standout performer," he added.

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#4 Ricky Ponting

In an interaction with the ICC, former Australian captain Ricky Ponting praised Mohammed Shami for his impressive start to the Champions Trophy.

Ponting noted Shami's 14-month absence from international cricket and feels he is a player for big tournaments for the Indian team.

“For him to come back and get five wickets in the first game of the Champions Trophy is fantastic. They are exactly the sort of people you want in your side, the guys who would do anything for you," Ponting said while speaking on ICC.

“It hasn’t been easy for him, yes he had a good international career but if you look back, it was a sort of stop-start at the start of his career. He has got better and better year on year and he is probably, the best version of himself right now on the back of a bit of adversity, so they are the sort of people you want around, especially in big tournaments," Ponting added.

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#5 Aakash Chopra

Former Indian batter Aakash Chopra shed light on Mohammed Shami breaking a plethora of records on Thursday. He then labeled him an 'ICC legend' and lauded his variations which broke the back of Bangladesh's batting line-up.

Here's what he said on his YouTube channel (from 5:40 onwards):

"He is an ICC event legend. I had doubts before the game, whether he could perform well as he was not looking in good touch or rhythm. He used his variations like slower balls and bouncers well. Taking five wickets in a spin-assisting surface, I will just say, 'Take a bow, Shami', you've done exceedingly well. We are so proud of you."