“Got the backing from coaching staff”: Tabraiz Shami on his performance in WI-SA Super 8 clash in T20 WC

North Sound [Antigua], June 24 (ANI): Following the win against the West Indies in the Super 8 clash in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, South Africa left-arm spinner Tabraiz Shamsi said that he has got a lot of backing from the coaching staff.

Shamsi was awarded the Player of the Match for his magnificent bowling performance in the match against the Caribbean at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium. He snapped three wickets and conceded 27 runs in his spell of four overs.

In a fine show of nerves and calm, Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada defied heroic spells by Roston Chase and Alzarri Joseph to extend their unbeaten run in the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup to seven matches and reached the semifinals with a three-wicket win over West Indies at Antigua on Monday.

“I’m sweating. I wasn’t even out there. Quite nervy at the end. That’s been the theme of our tournament – we finding a way to win as a team, no matter what the situation is.

The people out there, our supporters would probably like bigger wins. But things like this keep us in check. When the pressure hits, the team has been able to overcome those moments. Last time I played here I went for 50 runs. There was lots of chatter. I just had to back my plans and got the backing from the coaching staff to come back at the ground where I hadn’t done well,” Shamsi said in the post-match presentation.

The guys who bowled before me set it up beautifully. From the first game we’ve won it as a team. It’s not about individuals. We’ve got so many match-winners in the squad.

Little bits of contributions here and there are taking us over the line. As a team, that’s the best place to be in. It’s always a one-sided love affair – World Cups, South Africa and the rain. The boys were calm in the sheds. We knew what we had to do,” the spinner added.

Coming to the match, South Africa won the toss and elected to bowl first. West Indies was reduced to 5/2, but an 81-run stand between Kyle Mayers (35 in 34 balls with three fours and two sixes) and Roston Chase (52 in 42 balls, with three fours and two sixes) brought them back in the game. However, Proteas bowlers kept striking at regular intervals after this partnership, restricting WI to 135/8 in their 20 overs.

Tabraiz Shamsi (3/27) was the pick of the bowlers for SA. Marco Jansen, skipper Aiden Markram, Keshav Maharaj and Kagiso Rabada got a wicket each.

In the run-chase of 136 runs, SA lost two wickets early. Due to the interruption of action by rain, the Proteas were given a new target of 123 runs in 17 overs. At one point, the match was 50-50, with SA at 110/7 in 15.2 overs, despite crucial knocks from Tristan Stubbs (29 in 27 balls, with four boundaries) and Heinrich Klaasen (22 in 10 balls, with three fours and a six). However, Jansen (21) and Rabada (5) found boundaries at crucial stages, finishing the chase with five balls and three wickets in hand.

Chase (3/12) was the pick of the bowlers for WI. Alzarri Joseph and Andre Russell also got two wickets.