IRE-W vs SA-W | 2nd T20I | Match Preview | SPOTLIGHT: SHABNIM ISMAIL

Not every obsession can usher in self-harm. For the fearsome South African cricketer Shabnim Ismail, bowling fast is that obsession. However, it has continuously rung the death knell for the opposition. From broken stumps to chin music, Ismail has mastered every trick in the rule book of pace bowling.

With a 5’4” stature, Ismail does not ooze out the attributes of a fast bowler. However, one may ask the likes of Mithali Raj and Shafali Verma about Ismail’s chin music. They have recently been unnerved by her bouncers.

Ismail was first attracted to football before a school friend introduced her to cricket. And she has never looked back since then. Starting as a batter, she switched to bowling after being inspired by South African legends Dale Steyn and Andre Nel. And it was the right decision to make; the woman with Indian roots has been the fastest bowler in the world for quite some time now. 

Ismail is the highest wicket-taker in T20Is for South African women, with 111 victims. Playing since 2007, she is also her country’s most successful bowler in ODIs, with 178 scalps.

Ismail also has a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Back in the day, when CSA did not offer formal contracts, Ismail relied on her job as a mechanical engineer to make her ends meet.

In July 2020, she was honoured with the T20 player of the year award at the annual awards ceremony hosted by Cricket South Africa.

Continuously clocking in the mid 120s, Ismail hopes to soon touch the 130km/hr mark. 

Catch her in action leading the Proteas pace attack in Marizzane Kapp’s absence against Ireland women in the second T20I on June 6. Trailing 0-1 against an emerging Irish team, South Africa need to win at the Pembroke Cricket Club in Dublin to keep the series alive.

SQUADS

South Africa: Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits, Trisha Chetty, Nadine de Klerk, Lara Goodall, Shabnim Ismail, Ayabonga Khaka, Sune Luus (captain), Nonkululeko Mlaba, Raisibe Ntozakhe, Tumi Sekhukhune, Andrie Steyn, Chloe Tryon, Delmi Tucker, Laura Wolvaardt

Ireland: Gaby Lewis (captain), Alana Dalzell, Rachel Delaney, Georgina Dempsey, Sarah Forbes, Shauna Kavanagh, Arlene Kelly, Sophie MacMahon, Jane Maguire, Kate McEvoy, Cara Murray, Leah Paul, Celeste Raack, Mary Waldron