Despite continuous India snub, Mohammed Shami to play in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025 for Bengal

You continue to ignore me, I’ll continue to play. This seems to be the motto of Mohammed Shami, who is now ready to feature in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) as his exile from international cricket continues. While BCCI Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar has flagged fitness concerns over Shami, the experienced pacer continues to ply his trade in domestic cricket.

Shami has played four out of the first five Ranji Trophy games for Bengal this season. In those games, the Bengal Express has picked up an impressive 20 wickets at a bowling strike rate of 43.00. Featuring day in and day out for Bengal has given him confidence and his team a boost as well, with Bengal currently being on top of Group C in the Ranji Trophy.

New LSG pacer Shami to play SMAT

Now, fresh off his switch from the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) to the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), Shami is ready for some T20 action. As per Revsportz, he will play SMAT, India’s premier domestic T20 competition. The trade deal between SRH and LSG happened for his existing IPL fees of Rs 10 crore. At LSG, he will play under Bharat Arun, and Shami is pumped for this reunion. For those unaware, Arun was India’s bowling coach when Ravi Shastri was the head coach and he had a great effect on the Indian pace battery that involved Shami.

When asked about his availability for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy that starts on November 22, Shami told reporters that “I am fit and firing and available for the tournament,” he said. “I am looking forward to helping Bengal win matches.”

Drawn in Group C alongside Haryana, Services, Punjab, Pondicherry, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh and Baroda, Bengal will play Baroda in Secunderabad on November 22.

Shami on regular India snubs

Mohammed Shami opened up on regular snubs that he has faced since the ODI Champions Trophy 2025. After missing a year due to Achilles tendon surgery, Shami returned to cricket by playing for Bengal in the 2024-25 season. He then featured in a home white-ball series against England before ending up as the highest wicket-taker for India in a winning Champions Trophy campaign.

However, since then, Shami has been overlooked. There has been a tiff between the Indian selectors and Shami as well. While the selectors didn’t feel that Shami’s body can take the toll of international cricket, the pacer feels otherwise. Shami wasn’t selected for the England tour and missed the subsequent Test series against the West Indies and South Africa too. However, Shami wants to speak with his bowling now and focus on his game. Selection is not in his hands.

“Jo naseeb mein hai, wahi hoga. Shayad mere naseeb mein yaha (Kalyani) mein Bengal ke liye khelna hi likha hai. Main wahi karunga (Whatever is written in my fate will happen. Maybe it is written in my fate to play for Bengal here in Kalyani. That is what I will do),” Shami said after the Bengal vs Assam encounter. “Playing cricket is what I can do; selection isn’t in my hands. I can’t keep thinking about why I am not being selected for India.”

Cricket Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Mohammed Shami