Shami returned with the remarkable bowling figures of 2 for 9 in four overs against SRH.
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) registered their first victory of the IPL 2026 season, beating Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by five wickets at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Sunday (April 5).
Veteran pacer Mohammad Shami was the chief architect behind LSG’s win. He returned with the remarkable bowling figures of 2 for 9 in four overs, helping his side restrict SRH to 156/9 in 20 overs.
Chasing 157, LSG captain Rishabh Pant showed nerves of steel, staying unbeaten on 68 off 50 balls to take his team over the finishing line with one delivery to spare.
After delivering the Player-of-the-Match performance, Shami credited domestic grind and peak fitness for keeping him match-ready.
“If you want to play, it’s important to be in touch with the game. If you’re fit only then can you work on your skills. That’s why I kept in touch with the game and played all the domestic games,” Shami said in the post-match presser.
The right-arm quick, who had been struggling with form and injuries earlier, acknowledged that his performances can fluctuate.
“I am not a machine. My season can go up and down. I have performed well in the last few years. People have not noticed, that’s different. But I always try to do well,” he told reporters when asked about his underwhelming show last season.
Shami also opened up on his strong bond with LSG bowling coach Bharat Arun, and described Lucknow as his "second home".
“And as far as Bharat bhai is concerned, we have worked together in the Indian team for a long time. We have a good bounding. We have a good understanding with each other. So it is very important that the players and staff match well.
“And as far as Lucknow is concerned, it is my second home. So it doesn’t take much time to match up,” he stated.
Shami, who got the prized scalps of Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head, said taking pace off was the key on this wicket.
“The pitch was the same as it has always been here. Slow type, a little bit sticky type. But with the new ball, your line length is very important,” he said.
“Because we clearly knew that if we give them width or if we give them in the zone, then they will hit both the batsmen hard.
“So it was very important to turn off the pace. And it was very important that they get as little elevation as possible.
Shami emphasized the importance of the win to build momentum after their opening loss to Delhi Capitals (DC) at home.
“I’m happy. We lost our last game, winning this game was key to build momentum,” he said.
The veteran campaigner also stressed that both skill and experience are indispensable at the highest level. “Without skill or experience, nothing happens,” he remarked.
Regarding his bowling adjustments, Shami said he decided to use more slower balls after observing that they were effective in the same conditions during the previous year's tournament.
“You have to adapt. I was here last year and used a lot of slower ones. Opponents use it a lot, I thought why not us too,” he said.
Reflecting on his process, Shami said: “I do my work and try and leave the rest to Allah. See, whether it is IPL or any good platform, you definitely need to work on skill. So now it depends on how hard you are working on the new ball and on the old ball.
“I have always had the strength of the new ball. So I always think that how much benefit I can bring to my team with the new ball. Or how much good I can put for the team.
“It depends on the day that if your day is good, your bowling is going well, then you have put three balls over. Or if three went well, then put a fourth quickly if your wicket is coming. So that is on planning. But it takes a lot of hard work.”
(With PTI Inputs)