The SA20 may be the hot topic in South African cricket right now, but Tabraiz Shamsi has his sights set squarely on the T20 World Cup.
The Paarl Royals selected Shamsi, the No. 2 T20 bowler in the world, as their second choice in last week’s first SA20 auction for R4.3 million.
The left-arm wrist-spinner for the Proteas appreciates the “opportunity” the new league offers, but he doesn’t want to lose sight of his goal of guiding his country to the championship in Australia next month.
“I find what is occurring in South African cricket to be pretty intriguing. The IPL may transform the landscape of South African cricket similarly to how it has done it for Indian cricket.
It would provide players with possibilities to be noticed internationally and to display their abilities at a higher level “Prior to the three-match T20 International series, Shamsi spoke to the media upon his arrival in India.
However, I am now concentrating on the World Cup and this India trip. We drew the series 2-2 the previous time we were here. India is always a fantastic opponent to confront.
The series is going to be excellent. I always look forward to playing in India, and I’ll do my best.”
Since succeeding the great Imran Tahir as the Proteas’ top spinner in white-ball cricket three years ago, Shamsi had perhaps his least successful trip in July’s tour of India.
Over the course of four games, he took only one wicket while giving up 104 runs at an economy rate of 10.2. Shamsi was ultimately benched for the decisive fifth game.
Shamsi, the Proteas’ top wicket-taker in the series with eight wickets at an average of 12.50, finished as the series’ top wicket-taker following a similarly sluggish start to the England trip in Bristol.
Because of this, he is not very concerned with the previous India tour, claiming that “a few sixes here and there makes little difference particularly in T20 cricket,” and that instead, he is perfecting his preparation here in India for the trip to Australia.
“Nothing much, in my opinion, changed. Only a handful of balls were not played correctly. I’m not very concerned. We are a bowling team, so sometimes someone may miss the mark.
“I was satisfied with my own performance. When everything is said and done, we are a bowling team,” said he.
“The pitches in India, and notably the proportions of the grounds, are clearly quite different. In Australia, the grounds are much larger than in India, where they are typically on the smaller side.
“For a bowler, it’s different. They are on our squad for the World Cup, where they learn and take note of a few things I may use against them.”
At the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday, the Proteas take on India in the inaugural Twenty20 International. starting at 3:30 p.m. (SA time).