BCCI has recommended star Indian pacer Mohammed Shami‘s name in the nominees for the Arjuna Award.
New Delhi: The Board of Control for Cricket in India or BCCI has recommended Mohammed Shami’s name for the prestigious Arjuna Award following a historic outing in the recently concluded ICC ODI World Cup 2023. The Indian cricket team had to suffer a heart-breaking loss in the finals but Shami put on a performance of a lifetime.
Shami was the leading wicket-taker in the mega tournament after picking up 24 wickets in just 7 matches. This even included three five-wicket hauls and a best-bowling figure of 7 wickets for just 57 runs against New Zealand in the World Cup semi-final.
As per ministry sources, BCCI made a special request to the Sports Ministry to add Mohammed Shami’s name as he didn’t feature in the list of nominees for India’s second-highest sporting honour. The ministry has set up a 12-member committee that will be led by retired Supreme Court Justice AM Khanwilkar to decide the winners of this year’s sports awards including Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award and Arjuna Award among others.
Apart from AM Khanwilkar, the committee will consist of six other former international athletes. Hockey player Dhanraj Pillay, former paddler Kamlesh Mehta, ex-boxer Akhil Kumar, women shooter and current national coach Shuma Shirur, former cricketer Anjum Chopra, badminton player Tripti Murgunde and powerlifter Farman Pasha are also part of the panel.
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India’s senior fast-bowler Mohammed Shami was also shortlisted for the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award for November 2023 along with Australia’s ODI World Cup-winning duo of Travis Head and Glenn Maxwell.
Shami topped the wicket-taking charts at the 2023 Men’s ODI World Cup, and led India’s bowling attack in fine fashion with a number of scintillating displays during the month, though the hosts’ ended up as runners-up despite being overwhelming favourites to win the tile.
Shami was a late addition to India’s playing eleven but left a huge impact thereafter. He started November with a Player of the Match performance against Sri Lanka at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, tearing through their batting lineup with sterling figures of 5-18, leaving everyone mesmerised.
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His highlight of the campaign, though, came in the semi-final victory over New Zealand at the same venue in Mumbai, taking seven wickets for 57 runs and booking the hosts’ ticket to the final in Ahmedabad with the best figures for any bowler in the World Cup knockout games. During the calendar month, Shami took 15 wickets at a remarkable average of 12.06.
