South Africa’s left-arm leg-spinner Tabraiz Shamsi has created an all-time record in T20Is. With three wickets against Sri Lanka in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2021, Shamsi rose to the top of list of most wickets in a calendar year.
With 32 wickets from 20 matches, the Chinaman bowler dethroned Uganda’s Dinesh Nakrani from the top. The Saurashtra-born bowler has 31 wickets from 16 matches.
In the same clash between South Africa and Sri Lanka, leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga equalled Nakrani’s wicket tally with a hat-trick. Hasaranga also has 31 wickets from 18 games with an impressive economy rate of 5.49. The leg-spinner is the first Sri Lankan to take a hat-trick in T20 World Cup and third overall.
Shamsi was adjudged player of the match for taking three wickets in four overs and conceding just 17 runs. He wrecked Sri Lanka’s middle order, sending them back to the pavilion for single-digit scores.
“My first Man of the Match trophy in the World Cup, so it's a special moment, but not to take anything away from Nortje, Markram, Miller and Rabada, they played their parts really well. I haven't had a great number of chances previously, but I kept working hard, was looking to do something special, try and win games for the country,” Shamsi said in the post-match presentation.
“The number one rank doesn't really matter for me, I'm just glad that I am bowling well, we have one of the finest bowling attacks in the world and I'm just happy to be part of it,” the 31-year-old added.
