IPL 2020 | My responsibility is to deliver with the new ball, asserts Mohammad Shami

Heading into IPL 2020 with his reputation as a T20 bowler being not-so-great, Mohammad Shami made experts eat humble pie with his performance against Delhi Capitals in the first game, and today in Dubai, the right-arm pacer delivered yet another masterclass to assert that he is a genuine threat in the shortest format. Taking the new ball defending 207, Shami bowled multiple jaffas to Aaron Finch, before getting his reward in the form of Josh Philippe, who was trapped in front by the nifty Indian seamer. In fact, so good was Shami’s opening spell that he ended up conceding just 10 runs off his first two.

Speaking of his role in the Kings XI Punjab unit, post match, Shami claimed that his job is simple - to ensure that he delivers with the brand new cherry.

“I have the responsibility to deliver with the new ball, help my bowling partners and try to hit the right areas. We also have a good batting line up and our bowling is more improved this year. It is a young unit with a good mix of experience and even skill wise we are good,” Shami told Star, post match.

In his wondrous spell today, Shami was seen predominantly bowling a Test match line and length, something he also did in the first match against Delhi. When quizzed about the kind of length he looks to bowl on UAE wickets, the 30-year-old revealed that he adapts according to the weather conditions and the nature of the wicket.

“Depends on how the wickets are over there (in Sharjah), if there is moisture we will try to bowl full and if it is dry we bowl back of a length. That will be the plan. We can only assess after reaching there and seeing the pitch,” Shami said of the length he chooses to bowl.