'280 not a big score': Shami optimistic of chasing record total on day 5 of WTC Final

Indian cricket team fast bowler Mohammed Shami believes that Team India has a hundred percent chance of winning the World Test Championship Final 2023 by chasing down 280 runs on Day 5. The team finished Day 4 of the WTC Final at 164/3 with Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane steady at the crease. 

Mohammed Shami who was leading the Indian pace attack in Jasprit Bumrah's absence came up for the press interaction after Day 4 of the WTC Final. 

Mohammed Shami's opinion on chasing 280 runs on Day of WTC Final 

Everyone is 100 per cent confident that we will win the match tomorrow. We always fight, we do well around the world. That's why we have faith and together we will win this match

Mohammed Shami stated that 280 is not a big score against this Australian bowling attack and if the batsmen take it ball by ball, they will be able to take the team home. 

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He said, "If you bat well then 280 is not a big score. So I think you should bat normally like in a Test match; Focus on playing ball by ball. You should not look at long-term goals. When you have smaller goals and targets, you'll have more success." 

Returning back to India vs Australia World Test Championship Final 2023, the Indian team started the proceedings well on Day 4 as Marnus Labuschagne was dismissed in the first over by Mohammed Siraj. The Australian team, however, batted well throughout the session and declared the innings at 270/8 and set Team India a target of 444. 

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Coming into bat yet again in the fourth innings, Indian openers Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma started off well and 41 runs for the first wicket before Gill was given out off a controversial decision. Rohit tried to balance the innings with Cheteshwar Pujara but he was also caught in front for a score of 43. Pujara was also caught behind off the bowling of Pat Cummins. 

The Indian team needed a partnership and all the onus was on Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane. Rahane and Kohli added 71 runs for the fourth wicket and took the team's score to 164.3 at the end of the day's play. The team now needs 280 runs on Day 5 and they still have seven wickets in hand.