LSG Pacer Mohammed Shami’s Economical Spell Against DC In IPL 2026 Earns Applause: 'It Is The Beginning Of His Road To Redemption'

IPL 2026: Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) suffered a six-wicket defeat to Delhi Capitals (DC) in the fifth match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow on Wednesday, April 1.

DC batter Sameer Rizvi was named Player of the Match after his unbeaten knock of 70 runs from 47 balls at a strike rate of 148.94. Rizvi struck five fours and four sixes during his stay at the crease.

Although LSG began their IPL 2026 campaign with a loss to Delhi Capitals, much of the attention was on Mohammed Shami. The veteran pacer claimed one wicket in his four-over spell, conceding just 28 runs at an economy rate of 7.00.

Shami has been out of the Indian cricket team for nearly a year. His last T20I appearance came in February 2025, and since then, he has not been included in the Men in Blue squad despite consistent performances in domestic cricket. Ahead of IPL 2026, Shami was traded to Lucknow Super Giants for a hefty sum of Rs. 10 crore.

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Cheteshwar Pujara Heaps Praise On Mohammed Shami

Speaking on Star Sports, former cricketer Cheteshwar Pujara emphasized the importance of this season for Shami. He praised the pacer’s disciplined start to IPL 2026, noting that Shami “means business” this year.

“This season of the IPL is very important for Mohammed Shami, and the way he started off the tournament with this performance against DC shows he means business. Yes, his figures read 1 for 28, but it was Shami who played a crucial role in helping his side get off to a strong start in the powerplay. He first got rid of KL Rahul on the very first ball of the run chase and full credit to Shami. He knew that Rahul loves to play the inside-out shot, so he bowled a wide delivery,” Pujara said.

He further added that Shami’s performance could mark the beginning of his redemption arc.

“Rahul played the inside-out shot but it went straight into the hands of the deep point fielder. Then, Shami restricted the run flow by bowling tight lines and did not allow the batters to score freely. He has been playing domestic cricket across all formats in the last year and the performances have been good. He is now translating that form into the IPL. This performance against Delhi is just the beginning of Mohammed Shami’s road to redemption,” Pujara added.

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Mohammed Shami's Numbers In IPL 

Shami has featured in 120 IPL matches, claiming 134 wickets at an economy rate of 8.61 and an average of 28.18. In IPL 2025, the 35-year-old played nine matches, picking up six wickets at an economy rate of 11.23 and a bowling average of 56.16.