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Mohammed Shami dismisses retirement rumors, vows to play until ‘bored’, and dreams of winning the ODI World Cup after missing out in 2023.
Mohammed Shami has hit back at rumors of his international retirement (AP Photo)
Mohammed Shami has hit back on the people calling for, or falsely reporting about, his retirement from cricket. In an interview on Wednesday, he asked whose life was improving along with his exit, or whose life had he turn out to be such a ‘stone’ in that the rumors are spreading like they’ve.
Shami, who was ignored for the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy in England, also declared that he’ll only retire on the day that he starts feeling bored and unmotivated concerning the game. Till then, he said, he would play domestic cricket or someplace else each time he was not chosen for internationals.
“If someone has an issue, tell me. Whose life will turn out to be higher if I take retirement?” Shami told News24. “Mai kiski zindagi mein patthar bana hua hu ki tumhe mujhse retirement chahiye? (Tell me whose life have I turn out to be a stone that you simply want me to retire?) The day I get bored, I’ll leave. You don’t pick me, don’t play me, I don’t care. But I’ll keep working hard. You don’t pick me in international, I’ll play domestic. I’ll keep playing somewhere or the opposite. Retirement and such decisions are made if you start feeling bored, if you don’t wish to get up at 7 am for a Test. That just isn’t the time for me now. I’ll be up at 5 should you want me to,” he added.
Shami was a part of the ODI and T20I sides against England in February-March this yr. Nevertheless, he was also dropped from the squad for the 2025 Asia Cup, suggesting he’s not within the team’s plans in that format either.
‘I only have one dream left’: Shami
With ODIs as his last beacon of hope with the Men in Blue, Shami desires to push to vary the luck from the 2023 World Cup in 2027.
“I only have one dream left, that’s to win the ODI World Cup. I need to be a component of that team and perform that win the ODI World Cup and produce it home. We were very close in 2023. We had a gut feeling, but we also had a fear that we were winning non-stop, and it was the knockout stage. There was some fear. But the keenness and belief of the fans motivated us. This was a dream that would have been fulfilled, but possibly it was not in my luck,” he said.
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