Former Indian pacer Mohammed Shami has opened up about his playing the 2015 ODI World Cup in Australia carrying an injury on his knee and receiving injections after every match to give his all for the country at the highest level. The 33-year-old was a standout performer for the Indian team in a recently concluded ODI World Cup 2023 on home soil.

Mohammed Shami returned to action in India’s sixth league-stage match against New Zealand after missing the first half of the campaign due to the playing combination. As the game’s leading wicket-taker, the right-arm bowler has been the Indian team’s most remarkable performer in the bowling department.

Speaking at an event organized by PUMA, Mohammed Shami pondered on his cricketing journey, where he overcame many challenges to reach where he is now stating that he had the option of undergoing surgery or playing in the 2015 World Cup, where he selected to play in for the country at the marquee event.

“I had swelling in my knee before the 2015 tournament. Someone else could have said no but I have the ability to bear pain and I was told two options—either directly go for surgery or play the tournament and then go for the surgery. While the team would return to the hotel after every match, I would go to the hospital to take the injection. When you play for the country, you forget everything,“ Mohammed Shami said.

The 33-year-old stated that he had swelling in his knee before the competition, but he was able to tolerate the agony, and that after each match, he would go to the hospital for injections, stating that he forgets everything while playing for the country.

It Will Be A Big Achievement If You Walk Without A Limp – Mohammed Shami

Mohammed Shami further stated that following the operation, the doctors told him that walking without a limp would be a huge accomplishment and his recovery was entirely dependent on the treatment.

“I was unconscious for two hours. When I woke up, I asked the doctor when I could start playing. He replied, ‘It will be a big achievement if you walk without a limp, forget playing. It all depends on how you go about your rehab,” Mohammed Shami added.

The Right-arm pacer has grabbed 24 wickets at an average of 10.70 and a strike rate of 12.20 in seven matches, with the best bowling figure of 7/57. Mohammed Shami has performed incredibly well for the Men in Blue after replacing Hardik Pandya in the starting lineup following his injury.