Shabnim Ismail celebrates a wicket against England during the Women's T20 World Cup in Cape Town earlier this year. Picture: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images
One of South Africa’s most celebrated and successful cricketers, Shabnim Ismail, announced her retirement yesterday from all forms of the international game.
The legendary Proteas Women’s star stepped out of the national team with immediate effect, in order to focus on her family, though she confirmed she would continue playing T20 domestic cricket around the world.
The 34-year-old player appeared in 241 international ODI, T20I and Test matches for South Africa, taking 317 wickets, as she established herself as one of the best fast bowlers in women’s cricket.
“After 16 years proudly representing my country, I have come to the difficult decision to retire from international cricket and move on to the next chapter of my life,” Ismail said.
Ismail, who turns 35 in October, was born and raised in Cravenby, Cape Town and after impressing in her first season-and-a-half for her hometown team, Western Province, she was brought into the national set up at the start of 2007.
The right-arm speedster made her international debut in the ODI clash against Pakistan on 20 January 2007 in Pretoria, and she went on to become an elite bowler, taking 191 wickets in 127 ODI matches with a notable economy rate of 3.70 and best figures of 6/10 against Netherlands in 2011.
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She ended her ODI career as the second highest wicket-taker in global women’s cricket, bettered only by India’s Jhulan Goswami (255 wickets).
In T20 international cricket, she collected 113 caps for South Africa, taking 123 wickets (fourth on the all-time list) at a strike rate of 19.30, with career-best figures of 5/12 against Pakistan in 2021.
In her only Test match for South Africa in 2007, Ismail picked up three wickets against Netherlands.
Ismail featured in four 50-over World Cups between 2009-2022 as well as in all eight Women’s T20 World Cups that have been held around the world.
“I have loved being able to compete at the highest level and I am so proud of being able to be part of a wonderful group of (Proteas) players who have led the way for women in cricket,” she said. “The memories I have will stay with me forever.”
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