Lauding red-hot India seamer Mohammed Shami after his spectacular five-wicket haul against Sri Lanka in Mumbai on Thursday, England all-rounder Ben Stokes said Shami has "obviously been the bowler of the World Cup". Shami has picked up 14 wickets despite playing just three games at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 so far, and is now India's highest wicket-taker in ODI World Cup history. (IND vs SL Highlights | Match Report | Pics)
"I've played a lot of cricket against Shami, he's a fantastic bowler and I think we watched him last night and they brought a stat up in a World Cup that is quite phenomenal actually. He's been obviously the bowler of the World Cup, I think," Stokes said on the eve of the England vs Australia game in Ahmedabad.
Stokes, who has scored just 48 runs in his three games in the tournament so far, struggled against Shami in England's previous game. The India pacer had Stokes in tangles in a fiery spell, and ended the southpaw's 10-ball stay with an in-swinging beauty that rattled Stokes' stumps.
Talking of that inspired spell of bowling by Shami that accounted for his wicket, Stokes said: "Obviously that spell against us was one of many he's had this World Cup. Sometimes you just say to the opposition that you're very good and Mohammed Shami's been very good throughout this whole World Cup."
The England Test captain added: "I don't think he's played every game but the way in which he has come in, in every situation and every game has been incredible, the amount of wickets he's taken. He's just found a way to be able to get wickets.
Stokes also said he will undergo knee surgery after the 2023 ODI World Cup ends, in his endeavour to regain full fitness before the start of the five-match Test series in India from January 25 next year.
