Star Pacer Mohammed Shami has been nominated for this year’s Arjuna Award after his spectacular run in the ODI World Cup 2023. Shami was the leading wicket-taker in the World Cup, with 24 wickets in seven outings where India finished second best, losing to Australia in the final.
In overall World Cups, Shami has now claimed 45 World Cup wickets in 14 innings – the most by an Indian bowler, surpassing seamers Javagal Srinath and Zaheer Khan on 44.
As per the ministry’s sources, a special request was made by the BCCI to the sports ministry to include Shami’s name as originally he didn’t feature in the list of the country’s second-highest sporting honour.
The ministry has constituted a 12-member committee to decide for this year’s sports awards including Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award and Arjuna award among others.
Retired Supreme Court Justice AM Khanwilkar will head the committee. Apart from him, there are six former international athletes in this committee. Hockey player Dhanraj Pillay, former paddler Kamlesh Mehta, ex-boxer Akhil Kumar, women shooter and current national coach Shuma Shirur, former cricketer Anjum Chopra, badminton player Tripti Murgunde and powerlifter Farman Pasha are also part of the panel.
