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Mohammed Shami dismisses retirement rumors, vows to play until ‘bored’, and dreams of winning the ODI World Cup after missing out in 2023.
Mohammed Shami has hit back at rumors of his international retirement (AP Photo)
Mohammed Shami has hit back at the people calling for, or falsely reporting about, his retirement from cricket. In an interview on Wednesday, he asked whose life was improving with his exit, or whose life had he become such a ‘stone’ in that the rumors are spreading like they have.
Shami, who was overlooked for the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy in England, also declared that he will only retire on the day that he starts feeling bored and unmotivated about the game. Till then, he said, he would play domestic cricket or somewhere else every time he was not selected for internationals.
“If someone has a problem, tell me. Whose life will become better if I take retirement?” Shami told News24. “Mai kiski zindagi mein patthar bana hua hu ki tumhe mujhse retirement chahiye? (Tell me whose life have I become a stone that you want me to retire?) The day I get bored, I will leave. You don’t pick me, don’t play me, I don’t care. But I will keep working hard. You don’t pick me in international, I will play domestic. I will keep playing somewhere or the other. Retirement and such decisions are made when you start feeling bored, when you don’t want to wake up at 7 am for a Test. That is not the time for me now. I’ll be up at 5 if you want me to,” he added.
Shami was part of the ODI and T20I sides against England in February-March this year. However, he was also dropped from the squad for the 2025 Asia Cup, suggesting he’s not in the team’s plans in that format either.
‘I only have one dream left’: Shami
With ODIs as his last beacon of hope with the Men in Blue, Shami wants to push to change the luck from the 2023 World Cup in 2027.
“I only have one dream left, that is to win the ODI World Cup. I want to be a part of that team and perform that win the ODI World Cup and bring it home. We were very close in 2023. We had a gut feeling, but we also had a fear that we were winning non-stop, and it was the knockout stage. There was some fear. But the enthusiasm and belief of the fans motivated us. This was a dream that could have been fulfilled, but maybe it was not in my luck,” he said.
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