‘Karara Jawab’ by Mohammed Shami to 2021 Trolls: Seven Wickets in the 2023 World Cup Semi-final

Mohammed Shami “fields” and “dismisses” the hatred with the same dexterity as he does when he delivers a cricket delivery. The Indian bowler has responded to the wave of abuse on social media with grace and speed from the start, as shown by a memorable incident during the IND vs. NZ World Cup 2023 semi-final. Shami’s seven-wicket display in this pivotal match was more than just a show; it was a thunderous rebuttal, a “karara jawab,” as it silenced those who had made fun of him for his faith, especially in the wake of his lackluster performance (0/43 in 3.5 overs) against Pakistan in the 2021 ICC T20 World Cup.

Instagram turned into a battlefield for disparaging remarks after India’s loss to Pakistan in the ICC T20 World Cup 2021, where Shami was singled out for abuse due to his religious identity. Particularly after his costly 18th over, in which Mohammad Rizwan discovered the boundary ropes three times, some even called him a traitor.

Shami, on the other hand, remained stoic, implying that there is no remedy for such narrow-mindedness. The 33-year-old emphasized that individuals who were trolling weren’t “real fans nor were they real Indians” in an interview with The Indian Express. Not to be taken too seriously, he said, “There is no cure for this kind of thinking.” Individuals who engage in religious trolling are neither authentic Indians or supporters. You are not being an Indian fan if you think of a player as a hero and then act in this manner. And I believe that remarks made by such individuals shouldn’t cause harm to others.

Even Virat Kohli, who was captain at the time, publicly expressed his support in his signature “aggressive, candid” manner, leaving no space for doubt. “Attacking someone over their religion is the most, I would say, pathetic thing that a human being can do,” Kohli said, calling the trolls “spineless.”

“We play on the field for a reason, not some group of cowardly people on social media who lack the guts to really talk to any individual face-to-face,” he said.

After several games, including the current World Cup 2023, Shami has developed into the bowler that India was unaware they were lacking. Having watched games from the sidelines in the past, he settled in whenever Hardik Pandya was out.

Shami, who has now become the master of unplayable deliveries and a bowling threat that helped India advance to the finals on Sunday, stands strong and tells the trolls that their importance is insignificant compared to the size of cricket balls on the biggest platform of the game!