Veteran India pacer Mohammed Shami roared back into form with a brilliant outing for Bengal against Services in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025/26.
Mohammed Shami takes fourth four-wicket haul in T20 cricket
After a slow start to the SMAT 2025/26 season, Shami got into rhythm with a fiery spell against Services, picking up four wickets while giving away just 13 runs in 3.2 overs. Shami entered the game at Hyderabad with five wickets and 162 runs conceded in 15.3 overs across four matches.
But he was on point from the get-go, removing Gaurav Kochar on the first delivery of the contest. He then accounted for the wicket of Ravi Chauhan, who had raced to a nine-ball 26, in just his next over.
The veteran returned at the death to dismiss Nakul Sharma and Vishal Gaur in consecutive overs to bowl out Services for 165. Shami did not concede a single boundary in the game and bowled 10 dots off his 20 deliveries. He was also helped by a solid outing from India Test quick Akash Deep, who finished with 3-27 in his four overs.
This was Shami’s second-best T20 figures after a 4-11 for Gujarat Titans against Delhi Capitals in the 2023 Indian Premier League.
Match 83, Bengal vs Services
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Mohammed Shami hasn't played for India since Champions Trophy 2025
Notably, Shami hasn’t played international cricket for India since the Champions Trophy earlier this year, where he finished as the side’s joint-highest wicket-taker (9). He wasn’t picked in India’s ODI squads for the series against Australia and South Africa. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar had claimed that there was little clarity on Shami's fitness, and a lack of match practice led to his exclusion.
But at the same time, he featured for Bengal in the first phase of the Ranji Trophy, picking up 20 wickets in four games. He expressed his displeasure at missing out on the Australia tour, saying “if there is a fitness issue, I shouldn’t be here playing for Bengal" (as quoted by Firstpost).
In the SMAT 2025/26, he now has nine wickets in five games at 19.44.
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