Meet SA cricket’s ‘magician’ Shamsi
The Pretoria left-arm chinaman bowler is the leading wicket-taker in this year’s Ram Slam T20 Challenge.
City side Multiply Titans’ tricky spinner Tabraiz Shamsi is making batsmen sweat of late.
The left-arm chinaman bowler is the leading wicket-taker in this year’s Ram Slam T20 Challenge with 16 scalps from nine innings.
Shamsi told Rekord on Thursday he was humbled to have taken so many wickets in this year’s competition.
He took 4/32 in four overs during the semi-final match between the Warriors and the Titans at Supersport Park, Centurion.
“Obviously I’m glad that we got to the final. We set a target this season to win all the three trophies because last season we won two,” Shamsi said.
“On my part, I’m just happy to be the leading wicket-taker and hopefully on Saturday, I can do the same and help my team to win.”
He grew up in Johannesburg where he played for the Lions before moving to Durban to play for the Dolphins. His big breakthrough, however, came in 2014 when he moved to the Titans.
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During his time with the Pretoria franchise, the 27-year-old has been one of the leading wicket-takers in the domestic competitions which earned him a national call-up last year.
Shamsi made his international debut last year in June against Australia.
“Playing for the Proteas has always been my biggest dream as a child. I’m very grateful that I’ve represented my country.
“I’ve also played in the Caribbean League alongside Chris Gayle, Shahid Afridi and Marlon Samuels,” he said.
He also made his debut in the Indian Premier League for Royal Challengers Bangalore alongside AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli.
One of the things that make Shamsi stand out beside his chinaman spin is his trademark celebrations.
He said having fun in the field was one of the reasons behind his success.
“Don’t ever forget that little kid inside you that got so much joy from playing the game, that is the reason you started,” he said.
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“Too often people worry about the wrong things; pressure is always there and people have different ways of handling it.
“Play with passion and that fire inside you, give your all for the team and never forget to have fun while doing what you love.”
He advised young cricketers to work hard, but also enjoy the game.
“The biggest motivation comes from me. I do a lot of work behind the scene, to make sure I’m well prepared for the game. During the game, I want to enjoy the game as much as I can and that helps me deal better with pressure.
“And to those youngsters watching, if you have a dream, go for it but understand that nothing comes easy. It’s all about hard work and determination.”
Besides cricket, the spinner does magic tricks. He said that he would have been a magician if his cricket career had not taken off.
Shamsi urged the Pretoria crowd to come in their numbers on Saturday for the final between the Titans and the Dolphins.
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