'Thank you for all the blessings you have given me'

Mohammed Shami touched down in Brisbane on Friday, October 14, 2022, as he gets set to join the Indian team ahead of the T20 World Cup.

Shami was named as the replacement for the injured Jasprit Bumrah in the Indian 15-member squad.

Shami, who missed the three-match T20I and ODI series against South Africa because of COVID-19 which also delayed his departure to Australia, will be keen to make up for the lack of match practice with some hard yards in the practice session in the next few days and dispel all doubts about his fitness and form.

He last played for India in T20 Internationals during last year's World Cup in the UAE, where he picked up six wickets from five games.

For now, Shami looks keen to recover from his jet lag after a long flight from Bangalore to Dubai to Brisbane before he hits the ground running Down Under.

'God, thank you for bringing me here safely. I am so happy and I feel so blessed with friends and family, especially you Lord. Thank you for all the blessings you have given me thanks again now fight with jet lag,' a tired looking Shami posted on Instagram.

Shami was one of the top performers for debutant Gujarat Titans in IPL 2022, with 20 wickets in 16 matches.

He also has the experience of playing in Australian conditions having featured in eight Tests Down Under picking up 31 wickets, while taking 22 wickets in 14 ODIs at an economy rate of 5.19.

He played just one T20 International in Australia, in December 2020, when he was taken apart by the hosts for expensive figures of 46 runs in four overs.

Shami, who has been left out of India's T20 team since their early departure from the T20 World Cup last year, has taken 18 wickets in 17 T20Is, but his economy rate of 9.54 is a cause of concern.

Overall, he has played 133 T20 games, taking 156 wickets at an economy rate of 8.28.

India open their T20 World Cup campaign with a high-voltage clash against Pakistan at the MCG on October 23.