'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Team India pacer Mohammed Siraj penned a heartfelt note on Saturday, October 7, ahead of their first match of the 2023 World Cup against Australia.
Taking to his Instagram handle, Siraj expressed his excitement as he gears up to play his first-ever ODI World Cup. He mentioned that it was his childhood dream to represent India at the showpiece event.
The talented speedster wrote:
"Koi sapna chota nahi hota! As dreams do come true. Ever since I started playing cricket as a youngster I dreamed about representing my country at the World Cup. As we are about to start our campaign I ask for your prayers and support and aim to make you all proud! Alhamdulillah 🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳."
Reacting to the post, Mohammed Siraj's teammate Suryakumar Yadav commented:
"Magic❤️"
Mohammed Siraj has been one of Indian cricket's biggest success stories in the recent past. The pacer has been in tremendous form of late. He will go into the 2023 World Cup as the No. 1 ranked ODI bowler in the ICC rankings.
"Not possible to describe the feeling" - Mohammed Siraj on playing in the 2023 World Cup
In a video posted on Team India's official Instagram handle, Mohammed Siraj spoke about how it was an indescribable feeling to play the World Cup at home.
"To be honest, first time playing the World Cup that too in India, it is not possible to describe the feeling," Siraj said.
Team India will open their 2023 World Cup campaign on Sunday, October 8, with a clash against Australia at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
Siraj is expected to be a pivotal cog for Rohit Sharma and company at the ICC event. He was instrumental in India beating Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup 2023 final last month, bagging six scalps. He has 30 wickets to his name in 14 ODIs this year.
India's World Cup squad
Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Ishan Kishan (wk), Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Mohammed Shami.
