New Delhi, Jul 20 (IANS): Indian fast bowler Mohammed Shami has strongly defended his teammate Arshdeep Singh after former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq questioned the young pacer's ability to generate reverse swing during the T20 World Cup 2024.
Inzamam's comments came after India's Super 8 match against Australia, where Arshdeep played a crucial role in India's 24-run victory by taking three key wickets.
Despite Rohit Sharma being named Player of the Match for his explosive batting, Arshdeep earned praise for his spell, which included the dismissals of David Warner, Tim David, and Matthew Wade. Inzamam expressed skepticism over Arshdeep's reverse swing, suggesting that it is unusual for a bowler to achieve such movement as early as the 14th or 15th over.
In response, Shami criticized Inzamam's claims during an interview on Shubhankar Mishra’s YouTube channel. Shami, known for his expertise in reverse swing, dismissed the allegations and defended the integrity of his teammate and the sport.
"I have said in an interview that I will cut the ball and show if there is a device or not. Abhi ek aur namuna khod ke dia hai inhone. They said, 'How can Arshdeep Singh get reverse swing?' I want to say only one thing to Inzamam bhai. I respect him a lot. If you do the same thing, isn't it ball-tampering? Those who do well against them, will be their target. India and Pakistan are arch-rivals," Shami said.
Shami further urged former cricketers to refrain from making baseless accusations and to avoid misleading the public with unfounded claims. He also backed legendary Pakistani bowler Wasim Akram, who had previously dismissed the idea of tampering with the ball to achieve reverse swing, asserting that umpires strictly regulate the condition of the ball.
"I don't expect that despite being ex-players you can say such things. Even Wasim Akram said how umpires give you the ball and it is not possible to plant any device in it. This type of cartoongiri is not good. These statements are there to fool people," Shami added.
Arshdeep Singh was one of India's standout performers in the T20 World Cup, finishing as the second-highest wicket-taker with 17 wickets from eight matches at an economy rate of 7.61. His performances included a notable four-wicket haul against the United States.