Spin bowler Shamsi delighted to link up with Proteas squad

Tabraiz Shamsi is the sort of cheerful fellow who is usually lighting up a room, and the champion spinner has been a particularly bright ray of sunshine since rejoining the Proteas squad in Sri Lanka, where they are now preparing for their ODI series that starts on Thursday.

Shamsi was not with the team when they held a training camp in Potchefstroom earlier this week because he was playing in The Hundred in England.

That was an enjoyable experience for him and he has also received the great news that he will be playing in the remainder of this year’s Indian Premier League (IPL), when it resumes next month in the United Arab Emirates, for the Rajasthan Royals.

It is no less than the world’s No 1 ranked T20 bowler deserves and it is inexplicable that his only previous IPL contract was in 2016 with Bangalore Royal Challengers.

Apart from all those happy developments though, Shamsi says he is always just delighted to get back into the Proteas environment, whatever some people have said about its culture at present.

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“The Hundred was good. It’s like a much faster version of T20 and I’ve picked up how to save time in T20 just by showing more urgency in the field,” he said.

“I enjoy bowling a lot – I don’t like long breaks – so it was good to be playing. And now to be signed by the Royals is special.

“I’m very excited because I’ve never played in Dubai or Abu Dhabi. It will be nice to get some inside info on those pitches before the T20 World Cup.

“But the excitement of playing for South Africa again is something different. Just the thought of it made me smile.”

While Shamsi’s outstanding bowling in the West Indies and Ireland has shone the limelight on him, the 31-year-old is adamant that he has a very good Proteas attack around him.

“Our confidence levels are obviously high and I honestly believe we have one of the best bowling attacks in the world,” he said.

“The talent is there. We’re just a little inexperienced at international level, but the skill is there, no doubt. The more we play together the better we will get.”