Puma has roped in Team India’s fast bowler Mohammed Shami as its brand ambassador. The sports brand has a star-studded roster of brand ambassadors which includes Virat Kohli, champion sprinter Usain Bolt, football stars Neymar Jr and Sunil Chhetri, celebrated boxer MC Mary Kom, cricketers Harmanpreet Kaur and Harleen Deol, and para-shooter Avani Lekhara.
Under this partnership, the Indian pacer will endorse Puma’s footwear, apparel and accessories through multiple activities and campaigns throughout the year. The brand has also launched a new bowling spikes with a mid-sole meant for runners, to support fast bowlers..
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“Bringing Mohammed Shami into the Puma family reinforces our dedication to the sport of cricket. We are delighted to support and welcome Shami into the Puma family which has been home to cricket icons Virat Kohli and Harmanpreet Kaur. Shami is an outstanding fast bowler with an impressive track record across cricketing formats. His relentless courage, unwavering spirit and the finesse he brings to the game perfectly resonates with our brand values. We strongly believe that Shami’s association with Puma will not only inspire fans and athletes but also drive our commitment to further sports culture in the country,” Karthik Balagopalan, Managing Director, PUMA India, said.
Shami has been a key member of India’s pace bowling unit. He made his debut against the West Indies in 2013 at the Eden Gardens, picking up nine wickets in the match, the most by an Indian fast bowler on debut. The right-arm fast bowler has played 64 Tests and picked up 229 wickets at an average of 27.7. He has scalped 171 wickets in 94 ODI matches. In 23 T20 matches, Shami picked up 24 wickets with 3 for 15 being his best figures.