'There is no bigger achievement for a bowler': Shami on taking WC hat-trick

Shami became India's only second bowler to bag a hat-trick in a World Cup since Chetan Sharma in the 1987 edition.

Southampton: Mohammed Shami (4/40) grabbed a magical hat-trick as India scripted an 11-run last-over win over Afghanistan in a thrilling World Cup clash here on Saturday.

Chasing 225 for victory, Afghanistan needed 16 runs in six balls riding Mohammad Nabi's valiant 52 off 55 balls and including four boundaries and a sixer.

Nabi smacked Shami for a four to bring the equation down to 12 off 5, and then refused a single to keep the strike.

But in the next three balls, Shami had Nabi caught by Hardik Pandya at long on and then castled Aftab Alam and Mujeeb ur Rahman in successive deliveries to grab a hat-trick and hand India their fourth victory in five matches.

Shami became India's only second bowler to bag a hat-trick in a World Cup since Chetan Sharma in the 1987 edition.

Talking about his plan Shami said, "Nothing much, it was just a simple plan. You were to defend 16 runs and had six balls to bowl. You had to back yourself with your plan, execute it, not panic. Because there was a batsman playing at one end and a bowler at the non-striker's. So we had to bring the batsman to the non-striker's end. And that was what was in my mind. And yorker was the only option that one had that would get you a single. But I didn't execute well in that first ball, went for a boundary. But I just had to back myself."

The right-arm paceman is happy to take hat-trick in the World Cup. On becoming the only second Indian to take a hat-trick in the World Cup he said, "Look, I'm very happy to take a hat-trick in the world cup. To get a hat-trick is such a rare thing and I think there are very few players who have taken hat-tricks and especially in a world cup. So I'm very happy with this, thanks to Allah I got the opportunity to take a hat-trick and I got one. I can't explain to you how I feel now because there is no bigger achievement for a bowler, to have taken a hat-trick in the world cup, that feeling is an amazing feeling."

"Was not getting a chance to play in this world cup. So frustration is there"

"See, mentally there is always pressure on you as a player. You have performed as a player wherever you have played and despite that I was not getting a chance to play in this world cup. So frustration is there, you have to remain cool, you have to keep working on your skill, you have to await your chance. So that is the one thing, that you have to wait. And when you get your chance you have to be cool, be as normal as possible and try and execute your plans. That would be better for you."

Jasprit Bumrah conceded only few runs in the final overs.

Pace ace Jasprit Bumrah (2/39), wrist spinner Yuzvendra Chahal (2/36) and all-rounder Pandya (2/51) all grabbed two wickets to help Virat Kohli and Co. escape a scare they never thought would come their way.

In the meantime, when Chahal was asked whether India thought that they could win at the halfway stage.

"Nothing like that. See if you have to defend around 230 then you have to bowl very well. So our thing was to build up pressure from the start using dot balls and then push the run rate as high as possible. And then that would help us in the end overs."

On being asked about Bumrah's mindset in the final overs, Chahal said, "I think he has bowled a lot in the death overs, he backs himself well, be it yorker or the slower one. I think he has also prepared for this a lot, has practised it over here in the nets and that is what you see in the match."