Mohammed Shami becomes fastest Indian bowler to reach 200 ODI wickets
Dubai, Feb 20 (PTI): Star pacer Mohammed Shami became the fastest Indian bowler and second quickest overall to reach 200 ODI wickets during the Champions Trophy match against Bangladesh here on Thursday, marking his return to an ICC tournament with an excellent five-for.
Shami grabbed three wickets to reach the milestone in his 104th match and better former India pacer Ajit Agarkar's record of getting to the mark in 133 matches.
He then added two more wickets to his tally to end the day with figures of 5/53, strengthening his position as one of the most successful bowler in ICC tournaments.
With 60 wickets, Shami is now India's leading wicket-taker in the two 50-overs ICC events — the ODI World Cup and Champions Trophy — followed by Zaheer Khan (59), Javagal Srinath (47) and Ravindra Jadeja (43).
Jaker Ali, who made 68 and was involved in a 154-run sixth wicket partnership with Towhid Hridoy (100), was Shami's wicket No 200 in the 50-overs format.
Overall, the 34-year-old fast bowler is the second fastest to the mark behind Australian left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc, who needed 102 games.
One of India's finest seamers, Shami averages less than 25 in the ODI format and has so far taken six fifers and 10 four-wicket hauls.
Shami is the eighth Indian to complete 200 wickets in ODI cricket.
Out of international cricket for 14 months owing to an ankle injury that needed surgery, Shami has made a remarkable comeback, though the journey was far from easy as he feared his career was over.
However, his unwavering desire to play for the country again kept him going.
Shami suffered the ankle injury during the 2023 ODI World Cup final against Australia, bringing to a halt an incredible run of form that saw him top the wicket-taker's chart in the tournament.
His recovery was further complicated by swelling in his left knee, as he was sidelined from international for more than a year.
With Jasprit Bumrah injured, Shami is leading the Indian pace attack in the Champions Trophy.
2⃣0⃣0⃣ wickets and counting!
— BCCI (@BCCI) February 20, 2025
Mohd. Shami becomes the fastest bowler for India to scalp 200 ODI wickets! 🫡
Follow the Match ▶️ https://t.co/ggnxmdG0VK#TeamIndia | #BANvIND | #ChampionsTrophy | @MdShami11 pic.twitter.com/CqLyuQPh3X
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Siddaramaiah in 'helpless situation', under some 'compulsion', claims Cong MLA Rajanna
_vb_05.jpeg)
Bengaluru (PTI): Amid claims that Siddaramaiah's confidants are being targeted within the ruling Congress in Karnataka, following recent actions against some party leaders, senior MLA K N Rajanna on Friday alleged that the chief minister is "helpless" and under some "compulsion" as he is not standing up to defend his people.
The comments from the former minister, who is considered close to Siddaramaiah, came after Congress took action against some of its minority community leaders--considered close to the CM--following allegations of an internal conspiracy against the party candidate in the Davanagere South bypoll held on April 9.
Rajanna himself was sacked from the Ministry last August on the instructions of the party high command, following his alleged comments criticising top party leader Rahul Gandhi's "vote theft" charge.
"There will be vested interests in the party who will try to conspire against those who have been loyal to the party and want the party to grow for the welfare of the people. Nothing can be done about it. What we expect from our chief minister is that when such a situation arises, he should stand strong, but he is not standing and that is a sad thing," Rajanna said in response to a question whether Siddaramaiah's followers were being targeted in Congress.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, "... I don't know what his thinking is. But we did not expect such a helpless situation from Siddaramaiah."
When asked who had made Siddaramaiah helpless, the former minister said, "I won't say who, you understand it yourself."
"People are saying that those close to Siddaramaiah are being targeted...I don't know what compulsions Siddaramaiah has. If he tells, we can know, but he won't say. I don't know under what compulsion he is following this neutrality," he said, adding that the CM is helpless and a person becomes "helpless" when his/her voice shrinks.
The Congress recently suspended MLC K Abdul Jabbar from the party's primary membership and relieved another MLC Naseer Ahmed from the post of chief minister's political secretary. This action came after a group of Muslim leaders accused members of their own party of "conspiracy" to defeat the official candidate in Davanagere South.
Following the action against Jabbar and Naseer Ahmed, speculation is that Housing Minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan may also face action during the next cabinet rejig, as these three wanted a Muslim to get the bypoll ticket in Davanagere South, which the party gave to the late MLA Shamanur Shivashankarappa's grandson Samarth Mallikarjun. They also did not actively participate in campaigning.
Citing a Kannada saying that there is no punishment for the mistakes committed by the King, Rajanna, in what seemed to be a veiled dig at Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, asked, "Does sharing a stage with a person (referring to Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev) who said, 'Who is Rahul Gandhi? I don't know,' not amount to indiscipline?"
Referring to AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge's statement on whether poverty could be ended by taking a dip in the Ganga at Prayagraj, he said, "...but this person (again referring to Shivakumar) goes there and compliments UP CM Yogi Adityanath for arrangements made for the Kumbh Mela. He also goes to Ambani family marriage, while Rahul Gandhi did not even accept the invitation."
"I'm not saying that action should be taken against this person too, but the party will have to observe these things also," he added.
Rajanna further pointed out that no action was taken when veteran Congress leader and late MLA from Davanagere South Shamanur Shivashankarappa made a speech seeking votes for BJP candidate B Y Raghavandra during Shivamogga Lok Sabha polls, and asked if this did not amount to indiscipline.
"The same people were at the helm then (referring to Shivakumar as KPCC chief), even a verbal warning was not given to him (Shivashankarappa)," he said, adding that, similarly no action was taken when Samarth Shamanur filed his nomination in Davanagere South before the party announced its candidate for Davanagere South-- that was also an act of indiscipline.
_vb_92.jpeg)
_vb_68.jpeg)