Veteran India pacer Mohammad Shami has expressed his desire to lift the World Cup trophy, drawing inspiration from his teammates' recent T20 World Cup triumph.
Team India ended their 11-year-long ICC title drought last month as they defeated South Africa by seven runs in the final at Barbados to clinch the coveted T20 World Cup trophy.
Shami lauded the team's resilience throughout the tournament and rued the opportunity to win the ODI World Cup title at home last year.
Notably, the Men in Blue were on an unbeaten streak during the 2023 World Cup until Australia outclassed them in the summit clash at Ahmedabad.
"Even in 2023, you wouldn't have heard anyone say that India will lose. When we had 80 runs in the first 10 overs, the feeling (of invincibility) was the same as it was when we had nabbed three wickets in the beginning. There were no doubts on if India are winning the World Cup or not. But then luck… jo naseeb mai hai uske aage aap jaa hi nahi sakte (you can't go against what's been written)," Shami said while speaking on Shubhankar Mishra's YouTube podcast.
According to Shami, the Indian team displayed the same level of dominance in the T20 World Cup as they did in the ODI World Cup last year.
"I'd felt the same watching this World Cup. I was feeling the same watching it from the outside, as I was on the ground that day. In 2023, when we won 10 games in a row, all the teams were thinking how to beat India. When that happens, we should pray. When you make a mountain out of a molehill, that sows doubts and overconfidence. I think the boys showed great patience this time around," he added.
While hailing his teammates' achievements, Shami shared his own ambition of winning the World Cup.
"I believe that whoever took part in that competition, whoever was part of the team, deserved to win it. If I'm unfit today and sitting at home, I can only watch the sport as a fan. Those players are my friends and colleagues, I can only let them know what I feel from the outside to help them play better. There isn't much in our hands. As far as the winners' medal is concerned, I also dream of winning the World Cup."
Mohammad Shami was the leading wicket-taker during the 2023 World Cup, claiming 24 wickets from seven matches at an incredible average of 10.70, including three five-wicket hauls.
Subsequently, the right-arm quick underwent an operation on his Achilles tendon. As a result, he missed the home Test series against England, followed by the IPL and the T20 World Cup.
Shami is likely to make a comeback in the home series against Bangladesh. India will host Bangladesh for two Tests and three T20 Internationals in September-October.
