"Shami's always threatening with that half-volley length": Mark Waugh on India's ODI win against Australia
Sep 23, 2023
Mohali (Punjab) [India], September 23 : Former Australian cricketer Mark Waugh praised Indian pacer Mohammed Shami's spell of 5/51 in the first ODI game of the three-match series against Australia.
Waugh said that Shami always becomes lethal with his half-volley length bowling and therefore on Friday he was able to take wickets.
In a conversation on JioCinema’s ‘Match Centre Live’, Waugh said, “He hit the perfect length and that’s where he got the batsmen caught at the crease. So not too short or not too full. Just the perfect length where you get a little bit of movement. You’re going to hit the stumps still, but the batsmen can’t get a four. Shami was always threatening with that half-volley length. It’s a fine margin, but on this type of track, you need to be spot on.”
Shami's five-wicket haul was the highlight of the day as India clinched a five-wicket win over Australia in the first ODI at Mohali on Friday.
Former India cricketer Abhishek Nayar spoke about the decision that the Indian think-tank has to make regarding playing XI and whether it’ll be possible to accommodate both Shami and Mohammed Siraj together.
“It’s going to be an interesting match-up between the two. There’s going to be this thought process of picking wickets. You got to know the importance of picking wickets in today’s game because India managed to bowl out a strong Australian batting line-up where you’ve got a Sean Abbott batting at No 10.
So, it just tells you that when you have bowlers capable of picking up wickets, there may very well be a toss-up between a Shardul Thakur where you are thinking whether or not you are thinking of going with that all-rounder’s slot or going with an out-and-out bowler who can pick you wickets in every phase of the game," Abhishek added.
India is 1-0 ahead in the three-match series. Shami took home the 'Player of the Match' award for his five-wicket haul.
