Last Update on: November 19th, 2023 at 10:26 am
Former Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh named pacer Mohammed Shami as his Player of the Tournament in the ICC World Cup 2023. Yuvraj Singh emphasized that Mohammed Shami deserves the award for setting the stage on fire despite not playing in all the matches.
Mohammed Shami has been India’s standout bowler in the event, leading the bowling charts with 23 scalps at an economy rate of 5.01. He achieved three five-wicket hauls and a four-for. Notably, he recorded the best figures (7/57) by an Indian in ODIs in the semifinal.
India Always Had Match-Winners – Yuvraj Singh
Speaking to Sports Tak, Yuvraj Singh pointed out the depth of match-winners on India’s bench. Singh emphasized that Mohammed Shami’s contributions have been outstanding, especially in the absence of Hardik Pandya.
“India always had match-winners on the bench. I won’t say Hardik’s injury was a blessing in disguise, but everyone was waiting to see how Shami would perform, and the way he has set the stage on fire has been outstanding. I feel if anyone deserves the Player of the Tournament award, it’s Mohammed Shami,” Yuvraj told Sports Tak.
The 33-year-old wasn’t included in the playing XI for the first four matches as the team management preferred batting depth. However, Shami got an opportunity to play following Pandya’s injury. He went wicketless against the Netherlands in the World Cup.
Rohit Sharma And Rahul Dravid Deserve It – Yuvraj Singh
Yuvraj stated that Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid have an opportunity to secure their first World Cup medal, expressing that they deserve it. He highlighted the uncertainty in the team’s composition before the Asia Cup, but the player’s return helped in the World Cup.
“Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid have a chance to get their first World Cup medal. They deserve it. Before the Asia Cup, we were wondering where the Indian ODI team is because we didn’t know the combination. However, the return of Iyer, Rahul and Bumrah certainly made a difference,” Yuvraj added.
Rahul Dravid came close to winning the World Cup in 2003 as a player but lost to Australia in the summit clash. Rohit Sharma wasn’t part of India’s winning squad in 2011. Sharma had opportunities in the next two editions but faced elimination in the semi-finals both times.
Also read: “For Rohit, The Team Always Comes First..”- Did Yuvraj Singh Take A Jibe At Virat Kohli?
