Mohammed Shami responds to India snub with impressive 4-wicket haul in ongoing SMAT 2025

The 35-year-old Indian fast bowler Mohammed Shami has been overlooked following India's ICC Champions Trophy 2025 title-winning success, where the right-arm fast bowler finished as the joint second leading wicket-taker. While many have questioned Shami’s non-inclusion in the recent Indian squad for any format, the right-arm pacer has sent another strong message with his Player of the Match-level performance on Thursday (December 4) in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025-26. 

This time Bengal faced Services in the Elite Group C fixture at Hyderabad, where Bengal sent their opponents to bat first. While Services were bowled out for 165 runs in 18.2 overs, Bengal chased down the target in 15.1 overs after losing three wickets. 

See Also: List of highest wicket takers in Pink Ball Test ft Mitchell Starc

Mohammed Shami started with a wicket

Indian pacer Mohammed Shami started the game with a wicket on the first ball of the match by dismissing the opener Gaurav Kochar for a golden duck. In his next over, Shami dismissed the other opener Ravi Chauhan, who seemed dangerous with 26 off just nine balls with four fours and one six. 

Mohammed Shami took 4 wickets

While Shami produced the early breakthroughs, the other Bengal bowlers never let the opponent batters dominate. In the late moments of the innings, Shami took two more wickets in his last two overs by dismissing Nakul Sharma (32) and Vishal Gaur (0), as the senior Indian pacer finished the innings with the bowling figures of 3.2-0-13-4. There was no doubt why Shami won the Player of the Match award in that dominant win for Bengal to grab the top spot in the points table of the Elite Group C. 

Also, another Indian pacer, Akash Deep bagged three wickets, as he finished with the bowling figures of 4-0-27-3. 

In chase, the opener Abhishek Porel (56) and captain Abhimanyu Easwaran (58) slammed half-centuries to secure an easy win for Bengal.