South Africa left-arm spinner Tabraiz Shamsi has recently expressed his profound admiration for the former Pakistan off-spinner Saeed Ajmal.
Shamsi is currently gearing up for the three-match T20I home series against Pakistan, which is set to kick off in Durban tomorrow.
The 34-year-old spinner, in an interview with a local sports website, opened up about the role of spin bowlers in T20 cricket, which is dominated by explosive power-hitters.
“When T20 cricket began, people thought it would mark the decline of spinners, but the opposite happened,” Shamsi said.
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“Slow bowlers have always been pivotal to their teams’ success. While powerplays and field restrictions can sometimes make it seem like the game favours batters, spinners have the ability to turn matches in their teams’ favour with strategic planning.”
Shamsi was then asked about his inspirations as a spinner, and he was quick to highlight Saeed Ajmal as a pivotal figure in his cricketing journey.
“It’s hard to pick one, but Saeed Ajmal was truly inspirational. I studied his bowling closely. His ability to spin the ball both ways was exceptional, and our styles are quite similar,” he revealed.
It’s worth noting that following the first T20I match in Durban tomorrow, the action will shift to Centurion for the second T20I, which is scheduled for December 13. The series will culminate with the final T20I in Johannesburg on December 14.
Squads of Pakistan and South Africa for T20I series
Pakistan: Mohammad Rizwan (c)(wk), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Omair Bin Yousuf, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim, Tayyab Tahir and Usman Khan (wk)
South Africa: Heinrich Klaasen (c), Ottneil Baartman, Matthew Breetzke, Donovan Ferreira, Reeza Hendricks, Patrick Kruger, George Linde, Kwena Maphaka, David Miller, Anrich Nortje, Nqaba Peter, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Andile Simelane, and Rassie van der Dussen.
READ: Pakistan squad carries out training session ahead of first South Africa T20I