Mohammed Shami

Born on September 03, 1990, in Amroha, Uttar Pradesh, Mohammed Shami Ahmed is a right-arm fast bowler and a right-handed batter. He represents Bengal in domestic cricket and plays for the Gujarat Titans (GT) in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Shami breathes fire with the ball in any given format. His conventional action and solid release point provide him with great control over his line and length, which is also boosted by his pace and precision. The 34-year-old pacer can also hand some big blows lower down the order with the bat.

Mohammed Shami: Along the Years

Mohammed Shami Records

• Best bowling figures by an Indian pacer on Test debut

• Second-best bowling figures by an Indian on Test debut

• Fastest Indian bowler to take 100 ODI wickets 

• Second Indian bowler to take a hat-trick in Cricket World Cups

• First Indian to take two five-wicket hauls in Cricket World Cups

• Leading wicket-taker for India in Cricket World Cups

• Fastest bowler to take 50 wickets in Cricket World Cups

• First bowler to take three five-wicket hauls in a single Cricket World Cup edition 

• First Indian bowler to take a seven-wicket haul in ODIs

• Best figures in a Cricket World Cup knockout match

• Highest wicket-taker in ICC Cricket World Cup 2023

Mohammed Shami Awards and Accolades

• Named in ICC World ODI XI 2014

• Named in ICC World ODI XI 2015

• Arjuna Award 2023

• Best International Cricketer Award 2023 by NAMAN

• Breakthrough Performer of the Year Award 2023 by TOISA

• Sportsman of the Year Award by Sportstar ACES Awards 2024

Read more about Sachin Tendulkar's Autobiography.

Mohammed Shami Career

Mohammed Shami started his early training under Badruddin in Uttar Pradesh’s Moradabad. A few years later he moved to Kolkata and was selected for the U-22 Bengal side. After going through a tough grind through the ranks, he got his chance to represent Bengal at the Ranji Trophy. After this, Shami proved to be one of the stand-out performers in the domestic circuit.

Mohammed Shami has been a revelation for Indian cricket. His recent IPL form has meant that the UP speedster has mastered the art of T20 cricket with his sharp bowling and has been a Cricket World Cup giant already. 

Mohammed Shami Domestic Career

At the age of fifteen years, Mohammed. Shami started training under the guidance of Badruddin Siddique in Moradabad. Shami failed to make it to the Uttar Pradesh U-19 team and then moved to Kolkata. In Kolkata, he started playing for the Dalhousie Cricket Club where he was noticed by Debabrata Das, a former Cricket Association of Bengal assistant secretary.

Also, see - Bhuvneshwar Kumar's Biography

Das sent Shami to Mohun Bagan Club, where Sourav Ganguly once saw him bowling and was impressed by his skills. In 2010, Shami made it to the Bengal team and made his T20 debut against Assam, picking up a four-wicket haul on his debut in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2010-11 in Cuttack on October 20, 2010. He was part of the victorious Bengal team that won a thriller of a final by a margin of one run against Madhya Pradesh.

A month later, Shami made his first-class (FC) debut for Bengal against Assam in Eden Gardens on November 17, 2010. He picked up a three-wicket haul on debut as the match ended in a draw.

On February 10, 2011, Shami made his List-A debut for Bengal against Orissa (now Odisha) in Agartala in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2010-11. He returned with figures of 10-1-39-3. In a match against Madhya Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy 2012-13 season, Shami grabbed a hat-trick.

Shami had played a solitary game for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the now-defunct Champions League T20 2011-12. 

Mohammed Shami IPL Career

The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) acquired Mohammed Shami in the IPL 2011 auction. After a couple of seasons, he made his IPL debut against Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2013 and bowled alongside cricketing legends like Brett Lee and Jacques Kallis.

He was signed for the 2014 IPL season by Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) and was retained for the 2015 season as well. In 2018, he was bought again by Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals). The next season, he was bought by the Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) for INR 4.8 crores and was the highest wicket-taker of the team in IPL 2019.

In 2020 and 2021, Shami again had amazing performances, taking 20 wickets and 19 wickets, in both seasons respectively. 

Shami was snaffled up by the newly-founded Gujarat Titans for INR 6.25 crores in the IPL 2022 mega auction.

He picked up 20 wickets for the new franchise in 16 IPL matches in 2022 and was instrumental in the Titans finishing their maiden campaign on a high by defeating the Rajasthan Royals in the final.

Mohammed Shami International Career

After making an impressive debut against the Pakistan cricket team in 2013, Shami slowly became a regular part of the Indian pace attack in Tests as well as ODIs.

Shami’s rise to become India’s leading pacer across formats is an achievement in itself. His disciplined bowling and his ability to generate reverse swing with the old ball have made him an unmatchable asset for the Men in Blue.

Mohammed Shami ODI Career

Mohammed Shami was selected for India National Cricket Team’s ODI series against Pakistan in 2013 based on an excellent performance in the domestic circuit. Mohammed Shami made his ODI debut against Pakistan on 6 January 2013. Although he dismissed only one batter during the match, his economy rate of 2.56 was outstanding. A week later, he was selected in the Indian squad for a series against England.

Again, Shami bowled economical overs but took only a few wickets. Next, he went up against Australia and took an important seven wickets in three matches. Shami’s bowling was tested when he went to South Africa and New Zealand. In 2014, Shami picked up 11 wickets against New Zealand in a series with an average of 28.72.

The same year, he became the second-fastest Indian to take 50 ODI wickets. With his great seam positions, Shami flourished in foreign conditions. He took 3 wickets in all three matches against the Proteas and 11 wickets in another five matches against the Kiwis.

Due to his brilliant performances, Shami was included in the Indian squad for the 2014 Asia Cup. In his first match of the tournament, he took four wickets against Bangladesh. Shami finished the tournament with 9 wickets in four matches.

In the ODI series against England, he took eight wickets and showed great discipline in his bowling. For his performances in 2014, he was named in the World ODI XI by the ICC. In August 2014, Shami played four away ODI matches against England, in which he took a total of eight wickets. 

Shami was named for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 squad in which he took 17 wickets with an average of 17.29. In 2015, he was once again a part of ICC’s World ODI XI.

Due to a fractured knee injury, Shami was out of the Indian squad for quite some time. He made his eventual comeback on 2 July 2017 against West Indies. He was selected for the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 but did not get to play a single game.

After playing a couple of matches in 2018, Shami’s next big series came against Australia in January 2019. In the three ODIs, Shami picked a total of five wickets and helped India win the series 2-1.

Next, he went to New Zealand and took 7 wickets in four ODIs that he played. In 2019, Shami became the fastest Indian to reach the 100-wicket milestone in ODI. 

In the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, Shami was selected in the Indian squad. In the four matches that he played, Shami took a whopping 14 wickets, including a hat-trick against Afghanistan, and became only the second Indian to do so in a Cricket World Cup match.

He registered his maiden ODI five-wicket haul against England, but India succumbed to their first loss in the tournament against the hosts and eventual CWC 2019 champions.

Then, he played a couple of ODI series against West Indies, one at home and one in the Caribbean. Shami picked a total of 9 wickets in six matches against West Indies.

In 2020, Shami played his last series against Australia before the restrictions caused by the Covid-19 epidemic. He played a couple of matches and took four wickets.

His comeback series came in July 2022 against England. Shami played three ODIs in England and took four wickets.

The 34-year-old pacer was drafted into the Indian setup for the ACC Asia Cup 2023 and the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023.

With India needing a bowler who can bat at the No.8 position, Shardul Thakur was preferred over Shami. However, an injury for all-rounder Hardik Pandya meant that Shami was drafted into the playing XI against New Zealand. After missing out on the first four matches of the tournament, Shami started breathing fire in his very first game against NZ by picking a five-wicket haul. 

Shami shattered many Cricket World Cup (CWC) records; he became the first bowler to take three five-wicket hauls in a single CWC edition, registered the best figures in a CWC knockout game against New Zealand by picking up a seven-wicket haul, and became the first Indian to do so.

He also became the fastest to achieve the milestone of 50 CWC wickets and finished the tournament as the leading wicket-taker at 24 wickets in 7 innings at a stunning average of 10.70.

Mohammed Shami Test Career

Mohammed Shami made his debut on 6 November 2013, against the West Indies team. In his first Test, he made everyone aware of his immense talent by taking 4 wickets in the first innings and a five-wicket haul in the second one. He took 9 wickets in his debut match, the most by an Indian fast bowler on debut. He was a part of the 2014-15 Border Gavaskar Trophy where he took 15 wickets.

His brilliant performance led to him getting selected for the away series against South Africa. He played in two Test matches and took a total of 6 wickets.

In the year 2014, he also played a couple of away Test matches against New Zealand. He took a whopping ten wickets in the whole series.

Next, he went up against the English team on their home ground. Shami bowled in five innings and claimed five wickets in the whole series. 

Additionally, Shami scored his first Test half-century against the English team at Trent Bridge.

Due to impressive performances in foreign conditions, Shami was picked in the Indian squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia. The Indian seam bowler performed exceptionally, taking a four-wicket and five-wicket haul. In 3 matches, Shami took 15 wickets.

After suffering a knee injury in the early parts of 2015, Shami took a break for a few months to recover. He made his comeback to the Test side more than a year later, in July 2016, against the West Indies. Playing four away Test matches in the Caribbean, Shami plucked eleven wickets.

Next, he played another couple of home series against New Zealand and England, in which he had moderate performances. Shami played against only Sri Lanka in 2017. He took 18 wickets in five matches. The following year, Shami played three important away series. The first one was against South Africa, in which he claimed fifteen wickets in three matches, including one five-wicket haul.

His next series was against England, and Shami took 16 wickets in five matches.

He was then part of a historic Test series concerning Australia. Shami took 16 wickets in four matches, including his career-best inning bowling figures of 6 wickets for 56 runs. His scintillating performance in the series made him instrumental in India’s first Test series win against the Aussies in Australia.

In October 2019, Mohammed Shami took a magnificent five wickets for 35 runs in a Test match against South Africa. In 2020, Shami only played three Test matches, all of which were in foreign countries. First, he played a couple against New Zealand, in which he took five wickets.

Next, he was up against Australia. Due to Shami getting a forearm fracture, he was only able to play the first match before bowing out of the remainder of the series. In June 2021, Mohammed Shami was included in the first-ever ICC World Test Championship finals against New Zealand. Shami bowled brilliantly, taking four wickets in the first innings, but he failed to perform in the second one.

Then, he went up against England and South Africa. He took eleven wickets in five innings against England and 14 wickets in three matches against South Africa, including one five-wicket haul.

Furthermore, he scored his second Test half-century also in England in Lord's.

Shami’s last Test match was against Australia on June 07, 2023, in the World Test Championship (WTC) final, in which he took a couple of wickets in each innings.

Mohammed Shami T20I Career

Mohammed Shami made his T20I debut against Pakistan in the opening match of the 2014 World T20 and took his maiden wicket in the form of Umar Akmal. Later on, he was dropped from the tournament and did not play a lot of T20I matches, having made just seven T20I appearances in his career.

Shami later played another match against England and took three important wickets. Next, he played a match nearly two years later, against the West Indies. In both the matches, his performance was poor, going for more than ten runs an over and taking only three wickets.

Shami played another couple of matches against the Caribbeans in 2017 and 2019. He got his next big opportunity against New Zealand in a three-match T20I series. Throughout the whole series, Shami picked up only two wickets and had an economy rate of 8.92.

In the 2021 T20 Cricket World Cup, Shami was included in the Indian squad. In five T20I matches, he picked up six wickets. 

Shami was selected for the ICC T20 World Cup 2022 held in Australia. His impressive performance against the hosts in a warm-up match and the absence of T20 sensation Jasprit Bumrah meant that Shami was given the edge over the Royal Challengers Bangalore (now Royal Challengers Bengaluru) pacer Harshal Patel. He finished the tournament with 6 wickets in 6 innings at an economy of 7.15 but was at the receiving end of an onslaught by the English openers Alex Hales and Jos Buttler in the semifinal as India was hammered for a ten-wicket loss. 

A heel injury during the ICC CWC 2023 meant that Shami was not in the mix for the selection for the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, held in the West Indies and the United States of America, and possibly missed out on a golden opportunity as the mega event was eventually won by India.

Mohammed Shami Family

Mohammed Shami’s father, Tousif Ali was a farmer and also a fast bowler in his youth. It was he who took Shami to Badruddin Siddique after recognizing Shami’s talents in fast bowling. Mohammed Shami has four siblings and all of them aspired to be a fast bowler in their early days.

Shami was married to Hasib Jahan and she had lodged complaints of domestic violence and attempted murder on the Indian bowler, leading to their divorce in 2018. 

Mohammed Shami's Net Worth 

As of 2024, Mohammed Shami’s net worth is estimated to be around INR 47 crores or USD 6 million. 

Mohammed Shami's House

Mohammed Shami is the owner of a luxurious farmhouse in his hometown of Amroha, Uttar Pradesh.

Mohammed Shami's Cars

Mohammed Shami owns an expensive Jaguar-F Type which is worth around INR 1.53 crores. He also owns a BMW 5 Series and a Range Rover Velar in his garage.