India's most experienced seamer Mohammed Shami created an impact immediately on his inclusion in the playing XI as he sent New Zealand's opener Will Young packing on his first delivery of the ongoing edition. Shami was brought in first change and the right-arm pacer jolted New Zealand's batting order straightaway.
The event unfolded on the first delivery of the ninth over. Shami, with his trademark upright seam, bowled a slightly short of good-length ball that jagged back in a fraction and Young, while trying to play it square of the wicket on the off side, ended up chopping it straight onto his stumps.
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Shami was on the sidelines in the first four games that the Men in Blue played as the team management preferred Mohammed Siraj over him. Siraj has done exceedingly well lately and it is reflected in terms of his position on the ICC player rankings. Siraj is currently occupying the third spot in the ICC ODI bowlers rankings behind Australia's Josh Hazlewood and New Zealand's Trent Boult and hence the team management is persisting with him ahead of Shami.
However, a change in the team combination allowed Shami to make his presence felt. The wicket of Young also helped Shami to surpass India's legendary spinner Anil Kumble in terms of the most wickets taken by Indians in the history of the ODI World Cup. Kumble had claimed 31 wickets in 18 matches, with a bowling average of 22.83 and an economy rate of 4.08. Shami, now, has 32 scalps in the marquee tournament and is playing in his third ODI World Cup edition.
He was also a key member of India's pace attack during the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand and is only the second Indian with an ODI World Cup hat-trick. Chetan Sharma was the first Indian to claim a World Cup hat-trick.
