Mohammed Shami's charity initiatives: Who's benefitting?

Fiery pacer Mohammed Shami, who turned 34 years old today on September 3, rose to the echelons of Indian cricket with his exemplary performance in the World Cup 2023. The pacer plucked 24 wickets after being benched for the first four games. His seven-wicket haul against New Zealand in the semi-final at the Wankhede Stadium is the best figure for any Indian bowler in a 50-over event. Subsequently, he was bestowed with the second-highest sporting honour of India, the Arjun Award, on January 9, 2024. The 34-year-old is known for his charity besides cricketing lore. 

Shami’s 24 wickets made him surpass the former India pacer Zaheer Khan’s tally. With 55 wickets in 18 games, he is the fifth-highest wicket-taker in the tournament's history and India's top wicket-getter. Moreover, though he was not the first-choice bowler in the ODI World Cup 2019, he became the only second bowler after Chetan Sharma to pick a hat-trick in the World Cup. He achieved this feat against Afghanistan at the Rose Bowl in Southampton.

Here are some of Shami's charity initiatives:

1. Shami comes to the rescue during Covid-19

As the world grappled with the deadly coronavirus, several Indian migrant workers were trying to reach their homes. Shami distributed food packets and masks on National Highway 24 in his home state, Uttar Pradesh. The pacer, who resides in Sahaspur of UP, also set up food distribution centres around his house for the people in need.

Also Check: Mohammed Shami conferred with Arjuna Award for outstanding performance in cricket