India fast bowler Mohammed Shami has slammed ex-Pakistan cricketer Hasan Raza on the latter’s bizarre remark that he made during the Cricket World Cup 2023. While commenting on the bowling quality of Shami and Mohammed Siraj during the tournament, Raza had said that the International Cricket Council (ICC) or the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was providing some special balls only to the Indian bowlers, due to which the pacers were getting extra swing on batting-friendly tracks.
“It seems like the ball gets changed in the second innings. I think the ICC, umpire, or the BCCI is giving a different ball to the Indian bowlers. The side batting first scored 350 and were all over the chasing team. The way Mohammed Shami bowled his first ball, even Angelo Matthews was stunned. During our playing days, there was only one ball which was utilised, and had both swing and reverse swing,” the 41-year-old had said after the India vs Sri Lanka game at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium.
India scored 357 for 8 batting first and then bundled out Sri Lanka for 55, thus claiming a 302-run victory.
Reacting to the comments made by Raza, Shami didn’t mince his words and said the former Pakistan player was jealous of India’s performance.
“Actually they have made cricket a joke because we don’t enjoy each other’s success. You become too happy when you are being praised, but when you lose, you feel that you have been cheated. You look at the records of the time we have been part of the team, you won’t even find them close. Jalan toh puri dikhti hai wo. Itna jalane se kon se results mil jaane hain (Jealously is evident. You can never get good results with this amount of jealously,” Shami told News18.
Earlier, former India opener Aakash Chopra had also lashed out at Raza, labelling his antics during the discussion as “comedy”. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s bowling legend Wasim Akram had indirectly slammed the opinion.
