After India's emphatic win over New Zealand in a thrilling contest at Seddon Park to clinch the five-match Twenty20 series, Kerala cricketer Sanju Samson posted a video on Facebook wherein he is seen playing table tennis with the star of the night, Mohammed Shami.
“What a lovely game of cricket tonight..!! And a special heart shown by this Hero !! Nammude Swandam Shami bhai!!” Sanju wrote.
In the video, Shami, after playing a smash, turns to the camera and utters “Shami hero aada hero”. The familiar dialogue is from the superhit Malayalam movie 'Kumbalangi Nights', starring Fahadh Faasil, Shane Nigam, Soubin Shahir, Sreenath Bhasi and Anna Ben.
Shami took two wickets in the final over of the Kiwis chase to dismiss dangerman Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor to force the game into a Super Over.
Even Rohit Sharma, on whom pundits had showered praises for belting two sixes in the final balls of the Super Over against New Zealand after their match ended in a tie, credited Shami for India's historic win.
"I think Mohammed Shami's last over was crucial, and actually that got us the victory. Not my two sixes. It was Shami's over where we defended nine runs. It's not easy," Rohit, who won the Man of the Match award, said during the post-match press conference.
New Zealand were poised to win, with their skipper Kane Williamson at the crease and at his dangerous best. With wickets on the board, the Kiwis were not afraid to play the big shots either. India, on the other hand, were on the backfoot, defending a weak nine-run margin. However, Shami produced a stellar bit of bowling to snatch the game from the jaws of defeat and gave India a fighting chance.
“Shami hero aada hero," cricket fans too echoed the sentiment.
“Congratulations Shami bhai for that super 20th over.. U snatched the victory from the Kiwis,” a fan commented under the video.
“Nothing can be more thrilling than this superb victory in a super over! Congratulations to Team India, on registering a magnificent series win over New Zealand ...Shami, You are real hero,” wrote another.
“Shami bhai, what a splendid over that was. The lethal pace, the accuracy, the always on the money deliveries. You have now made it possible that India now can defend even a paltry nine-runs on the board. I salute you!” wrote another cricket enthusiast.
The camaraderie that exists within the team is seen aplenty in both the video and in Rohit's words.
New Zealand, still sour from the heartbreaking loss at the hands of England in the final of the 2019 ICC World Cup, will want to forget this Super Over too, and quickly. They play India next at Wellington for the fourth game of their five-match series.
