World Cup 2023: Aakash Chopra hails Mohammed Shami after history against New Zealand

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Former India player Aakash Chopra has hailed Mohammed Shami for his excellent bowling performance against New Zealand last Sunday (October 22).

India recorded their fifth consecutive victory in the World Cup 2023 with a convincing win over New Zealand in Dharamshala. And along with the batters, it was scintillating Shami, who returned to the World Cup stage and emerged as India's brightest star.

Shami dismantled the Kiwi batters and finished off with five wickets, thus naming himself in history books as India's first-ever bowler with multiple five-wicket hauls in World Cups.

And speaking after India's victory, former India batter Aakash Chopra heaped praises on the pacer. On his show 'Aakashvani', Chopra said Shami was a 'gun barrel straight' but also cast doubt whether the pacer will keep his place when Hardik Pandya comes back.

"This was Mohammed Shami's first match of the World Cup, and he returned with five wickets. It looked like he was bowling into a 'gun barrel straight'.

This is a phrase used for a pipe. It seems he was bowling consistently into that pipe. His accuracy was phenomenal. The length that he maintains varies and he also gets reverse swing. So that was the reason why India, who would have been chasing about 325 runs, ended up with a target of 274. The billion-dollar question is: Will Shami stay in the XI when Hardik is fit? Well, I don't have an answer for that at the moment," Chopra said.

India are currently on top of the ICC World Cup 2023 table and will take on defending champions England next Sunday.