Mohammed Shami was at his brilliant best on Sunday, producing a match-defining spell to help Lucknow Super Giants beat Sunrisers Hyderabad by five wickets at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. The veteran pacer dismissed Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head to finish with outstanding figures of 4-0-9-2.

For Shami, this was far from a one-off in the powerplay. Since IPL 2023, he has taken 25 wickets in the powerplay, the joint-most by an Indian, alongside Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Overall, only Trent Boult stands ahead with 32 wickets, underlining just how reliable Shami has been with the new ball.

It was also the most economical spell of Shami’s IPL career. His previous best came in 2023, when he returned figures of 4-0-11-4 for Gujarat Titans against Delhi Capitals. Sunday marked the first time in his IPL career that Shami completed his full quota of four overs while conceding fewer than 10 runs.

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Shami has not played for India since last year’s Champions Trophy, but he has kept himself in the flow by continuing to feature in domestic cricket. He turned out in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Vijay Hazare Trophy and Ranji Trophy to stay match-ready and maintain his fitness.

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Shami stressed that staying connected to the game and maintaining fitness are crucial for consistent performances, adding that playing domestic cricket helped him stay in rhythm and remain in the right flow.

“If you like cricket, and if you want to play at any level, then it is important to be in touch with the game. Look, if you want to perform at a good level, it’s very important to maintain your fitness. First you have to be fit then you can show your skill,” Shami said after the match.

“Regarding domestic cricket, my plan was to be in touch with the game, so that I can be in the flow. That's why I played all the matches,” Shami added.

After his heroic effort against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Shami will look to continue his fine run of form when Lucknow Super Giants take on Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens on Thursday, April 9.

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