India's WC 2023 hero Mohammad Shami to receive prestigious Arjuna Award on January 9

Indian pace bowler Mohammed Shami is among the 26 sports personalities set to be honoured with the Arjuna Award, as confirmed by the Sports Ministry.

Mohammed Shami is set to be honoured with the Arjuna Award, along with 26 other sports personalities, during a ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on January 9. The Sports Ministry has officially confirmed the nominations for the annual sports awards, including the prestigious Khel Ratna for badminton players Satwik Sairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty.

President Droupadi Murmu will confer the awards, recognising Chirag and Satwik as Asian Games gold medalists, World Championships bronze winners, and Commonwealth Games silver medalists. Meanwhile, Shami's outstanding performance in the ODI World Cup, where he emerged as the leading wicket-taker with 24 wickets in seven matches, contributed to the recognition.

The annual sports awards nominations received official approval from the Sports Ministry on Wednesday, with the distinguished Khel Ratna honour confirmed for badminton players Satwik Sairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty. Additionally, the Arjuna award has been granted to 26 sports personalities, including fast bowler Mohammed Shami. President Droupadi Murmu is set to confer these awards at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on January 9.

Chirag and Satwik boast achievements such as being Asian Games gold medalists, bronze winners at the World Championships, and silver medalists at the Commonwealth Games. In contrast, the 33-year-old Shami showcased an outstanding performance in the ODI World Cup, where India secured the runner-up position, ultimately losing to Australia in the final. Shami emerged as the leading wicket-taker in the World Cup, claiming 24 wickets in seven matches.