Indian bowler Mohammed Shami took a brilliant fifer in the Champions Trophy match against Bangladesh at the Dubai International Stadium on February 20 and celebrated with a 'flying kiss'. Now Shami revealed who his flying kiss was for.
Shami, who returned to international cricket after almost a year, destroyed the opposition's batting with his best bowling on Thursday. He took five wickets for 53 runs in 10 overs. Shami took his fifth wicket in the last over of Bangladesh's innings. Shami bowled a full-length ball and Taskin Ahmed tried to clear the fielder at mid-wicket, but Shreyas Iyer caught his catch.
After this wicket, Shami celebrated by giving a flying kiss while looking at the sky. The 34-year-old bowler revealed that the flying kiss was for his father.
In the press conference after the match, Shami said, "That flying kiss was for my father... He is my idol." Shami's father died of a heart attack in 2017.
Thanks to Shami's excellent bowling, India restricted Bangladesh to 228 runs in 49.4 overs. Shami took the wickets of Soumya Sarkar and Mehidy Hasan Miraz in his first spell. He then dismissed Zaiker Ali, Tanzeem Hasan Saqib and Taskin Ahmed.
Chasing a target of 229 runs, India defeated Bangladesh by 6 wickets. Shubman Gill scored an unbeaten 101 off 129 balls and achieved the target with 21 balls remaining. Gill and KL Rahul also shared an 87-run partnership for five wickets. India's next Champions Trophy match will be against Pakistan on February 23 (Sunday). India are currently placed second in the Group A points table.