'If I want to do Sajda, no one can stop me' - Mohammed Shami reacts to World Cup 2023 celebration controversy

Star India fast bowler Mohammed Shami had a dream run in the ODI World Cup 2023 as he finished as the leading wicket-taker of the tournament with 24 scalps to his name from seven matches. During the event, the speedster even became the leading taker from India in the history of ODI World Cups taking his overall tally to 55 scalps.

Notably, Shami picked three five-wicket hauls during the cricketing extravaganza against New Zealand, Sri Lanka and once again against the Kiwis in the first semi-final at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. On one of these occasions, he sat on his haunches to celebrate his fifer. However, a few media outlets from Pakistan claimed that the Indian fast bowler was willing to do sacred ‘Sajda’ but pulled out of it at the last moment due to fear.

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The Indian seamer recently opened up on the incident and said that nobody can stop him from performing Sajda and he’s a proud Indian Muslim. He further said that if he had to take permission from people then he wouldn’t be living in India.

“If I want to do Sajda then who will stop me? I won’t stop anyone from other religion nor will they stop me. If I want to do it, I will do it. What’s the problem in it? I’m a Muslim, I proudly say that I’m a Muslim and an Indian. So what’s the problem in it? If I had any problem then I wouldn’t be living in India. If I had to take permission to do Sajda from someone then why will I live here,” said Shami on Agenda Aaj Tak.

If you want me to do Sajda tell me where should I do it: Shami

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Shami further clarified that his celebration was more out of exhaustion as he had given 200% in his spell.

“Even I saw it on Instagram and Twitter that people were claiming that I wanted to do Sajda but didn’t do it. Have I ever done it before? I’ve taken many fifers in my life. If you want me to do it tell me where should I do it. I will do it on every platform in India. Nobody can question me about it. I was bowling that spell out of my limit with 200% effort. Hence, I knelt in celebration out of exhaustion. Somebody pulled my hair from behind and I bowed down a bit and people made memes out of it,” he added.

Following his World Cup heroics, Shami now is the fifth-highest wicket taker in ODI World Cup history with 55 scalps to his name from just 18 matches. The speedster has a mind-boggling average of 13.52 and an economy of 5.13. The 33-year-old further has the most five wicket hauls in the history of the tournament (4).