Cricket Association Of Bengal Felicitates Mohammed Shami For 100th First Class Game Milestone
The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) felicitated India fast bowler Mohammed Shami ahead of his 100th first-class game as the veteran gears up to feature for East Zone in the Duleep Trophy final.
The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) felicitated India fast bowler Mohammed Shami ahead of his 100th first-class game as the veteran gears up to feature for East Zone in the Duleep Trophy final, starting on Sunday at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. CAB treasurer Sanjay Das presented Shami with a special No. 100 jersey signed by CAB president and former India captain Sourav Ganguly. He was also presented with a ball signed by Ganguly and a silver plaque. The veteran also cut a cake to celebrate the milestone.
"In the Duleep Trophy final at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Sunday, Mohammed Shami will be playing his milestone 100th first-class match," CAB wrote in a caption accompanying pictures from the ceremony.
"To mark this special occasion, the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) Treasurer Sanjay Das, on behalf of CAB President Sourav Ganguly, felicitated the veteran fast bowler in Chennai on Saturday. Das presented Shami with a special 'No. 100 Bengal jersey signed by Ganguly', a special ball signed by the former India captain, along with a silver plaque," the board added.
Meanwhile, Shami was also handed a jersey signed by his East Zone teammates, as captain Ishan Kishan, Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Mukesh Kumar were pictured with the 36-year-old speedster.
All East Zone team members also received a sweet box carrying a message from Ganguly. "You don't play finals to participate; you play them to win. Play aggressive, play for each other, and make the East Zone proud. Bring the Duleep Trophy home, boys! Best of luck," the message, as quoted by the CAB, read.
Earlier in the day, East Zone captain Ishan hailed Shami's motivation and hunger, emphasising that the fast bowler still harbours hopes of an India comeback.
"I feel age is just a number," Ishan said on the eve of the Duleep Trophy final against South Zone.
"If he is working hard, it doesn't matter. He has been doing so well. Having him in our team gives us a bit more confidence. When you have such bowlers in your team who can get you wickets and especially looking at Shami bhai this season, his intensity and energy have been very different."
Ishan also highlighted Shami's motivation to continue playing domestic cricket despite currently not being in the selectors' plans.
"It has been three years since that [2023] World Cup, when he was in excellent form. It is hard when you are not regularly playing for the Indian team and to again have that same kind of motivation for your domestic games. It is tough. But I feel I see that hunger in him because who better than me can judge hunger right now?"
"I think he has that hunger and that motivation right now. He wants to make that comeback; he wants to be part of the Indian squad again, and you can see it in him when he is trying to help me. Also, when I'm leading the side, he comes to me and gives me options on what we can do in different situations," he added.
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Mohammad Shami