New Delhi: Ace Indian pacer Mohammad Shami has revealed that he played the 2015 World Cup, held in Australia and New Zealand, with a fractured knee.
‘I had knee injury during the 2015 World Cup. I couldn’t walk after the matches I played throughout the tournament with the injury. I played the 2015 World Cup because of Nitin Patel’s confidence.
‘The knee broke in the first match itself. My thighs and knees were the same size, doctors used to take out fluid from them everyday. I used to take three painkillers,” Shami told former Indian pacer Irfan Pathan during a candid chat on Instagram live on Wednesday.
Shami was the second highest wicket-taker for India with 17 wickets out from seven matches and was only behind Umesh Yadav, who played a game more than him and picked 18 wickets.
The 29-year-old credited also former skipper M.S. Dhoni for motivating him to carry on playing despite the pain throughout the tournament, especially in the semi-final at the Sydney Cricket Ground where they lost to eventual champions Australia.
Chasing 329, India were bundled out at 223 and bowed out of the World Cup.
‘Before the semi-final match against Australia, I told the team that I cannot take any more pain,’ said Shami.
‘Mahi bhai and the management showed faith in me and they really kept confidence in my abilities.
‘I played the match and gave just 13 runs in my opening spell. Then I went off the park and told Mahi bhai that I cannot bowl any longer. But he told me he cannot go to part-time bowlers and asked me to not give away more than 60 runs. I have never been in such a condition like this, some had said my career is over, but I am still here,’ he added.
During the chat session, Shami also said Test cricket as his favourite format of the game due to the intensity of the cricket involved in it.
‘For entertainment purpose, I would like to choose T20 format but I would like to play Test cricket for the intensity of the game,’ he told Pathan.
He also said that young wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant has amazing talent.