Some dates are just edged in the minds of people. For sports and cricket enthusiasts, June 25 and April 2 will always be remembered as the day cricket came home. These are the days when India won the Cricket World Cup, and the World just noticed what the Indians are capable of in sports. Similarly, some players have a special connection with some dates. We look at an epic relationship of Mohammad Shami with the date June 22.

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Mohammad Shami is one of the lead wicket-takers for the Indian cricket team in all game formats. He is one of the only three bowlers in India to have taken a World Cup hat-trick when he achieved this feat on June 22. He registered his name into the history books when this feat took place in the game against Afghanistan. The circumstances under which the three consecutive wickets occurred are not talked about much. Afghanistan needed twelve runs from the last over, which was supposed to be bowled by Shami. However, Mohammad Nabi, who was in the form of his life and was determined to give the victory to his team, was on strike for the batting team. Nabi was the only hope for the Afghanistan team, and Shami had the ball in his hand and wanted the wicket to give India a perfect chance at the win. Shami proved the faith of his captain and coach and delivered to the expectations, and took the last three Afghanistan wickets in consecutive balls. Thus, he provided India a win over their neighbours and created history as the third person in Indian cricket to get a hat-trick.

Mohammad Shami, two years later on the same day on a different stage, has proved his worth again to the Indian team. Yesterday, June 22, 2021, he took four key wickets in the final of the World Test Championship. Because of his outstanding contribution, India is still in the game and fighting for the win against New Zealand. Shami must surely be thinking about his epic connection with this date and how he has created history on both dates, just two years apart.

Everyone has a date that they can’t forget, and for Shami, it is June 22. Shami’s new task is to get the victory for his country in the inaugural edition of the World Test Championship final and be the man who does it for his country.