T20 cricket can be a rollercoaster ride for a bowler. One moment, deliveries are dumped into the stands by big-hitting batters; the next, a power failure or poor shot selection leads to the bagging of wickets. During this Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League campaign, no one has felt the brunt of these highs and lows quite like Tabraiz Shamsi.
The South African national was put under pressure in his first game since joining the Saint Lucia Kings franchise in an encounter against the St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots. While the Kings won that game, the left-arm unorthodox spinner finished with forgettable figures of 0/48 off his three overs, conceding 16 runs per six balls bowled. Since then, however, one could easily argue that Shamsi has been the Kings’ best player. With a series of stellar performances, he now sits on nine wickets – fourth on the leading wicket-taker column for this year’s CPL.
In an interview with West Indies cricket commentator Dr. Joseph “Reds” Perriera, Shamsi discussed his rise in the game and how he utilises his unique skill set, developed unconventionally.
“I actually used to be a left-arm fast bowler,” Shamsi revealed.
“I thought I was bowling quick until I got to high school and the coaches told me that I don’t bowl quick enough to be a fast bowler. So I started bowling left-arm wrist spin. I think that’s the reason why my run-up is quite long compared to normal spinners. I’ve got this pull into my side with my non-bowling arm, which normally fast bowlers do. So, I think in a way that really helped me in terms of the pace that I bowl. I think it was, in hindsight, a benefit that I used to be a fast bowler before.”
The spinner further explained where he sees his skill set best placed within the current Kings setup, noting: “As a wrist spinner, your role is a bit different in the team. You have to try and strike and get wickets for the team. But also at times, my role shifts where maybe if the team needs me to be more economical, I can try and hold up an end. For me personally, I’m just happy to play whatever role the team requires.”
Perriera also quizzed Shamsi on how he adapts to the dynamic nature of various venues across the region. Shamsi noted that understanding the different surfaces is crucial for success in the West Indies.
“In Saint Lucia, it’s normally a good batting wicket and a very strong breeze that blows towards the Johnson Charles end. So I was given the responsibility by the coach and captain to bowl from that side and take the harder overs and to relieve some pressure off some of the other bowlers.”
“St. Kitts are quite small, so you’d rather want to be on the shorter side because the square boundaries are a bit bigger. Saint Lucia gets more bounce, but there’s a strong breeze that you have to contend with, so maybe your lines change. There’s a lot of dew in Trinidad, and I believe in Guyana as well. So that brings on more challenges, especially being a wrist spinner, the ball is very hard to grip. So those are the kind of things that I would have to play around with and try to get different grips and see what works best on the night.”
Driving the conversation further, Perriera asked Shamsi about his hopes of returning to national team duties, particularly with the 2026 T20 World Cup on the horizon. The South African, who is the leading wicket-taker for the Proteas in T20s, revealed that he remains hopeful for another opportunity to represent his home country on the biggest stage.
“I don’t think I’ve done anything wrong to not be in the team. The last T20 match that I played for South Africa was in the World Cup final in Barbados,” he noted.
“[I] was nominated by the ICC as one of the potential players of the tournament. So I think I did quite decently for South Africa.”
“I’m also the joint highest man of the match winner for the Proteus. So I think I’ve done my bit. And of course, every time you get an opportunity to play, you want to perform and do well. And hopefully I’m required by my country once again.”
With this year’s playoffs culminating in Providence, Guyana, on spin-friendly surfaces, Tabraiz Shamsi may be key to the Kings’ chances of securing back-to-back title-winning seasons.
