Wrist spinner Tabraiz Shamsi highlighted the advantages of T20 leagues as a feeder system for international cricket during South Africa‘s five-wicket victory over India at Gqeberha. Shamsi underlined the advantages of joining these leagues, saying that they are essential for players’ talent development and information exchange in addition to improving their financial security.
With his insightful observations, the wily left-arm spinner challenges the common belief that T20 tournaments are just a way for players to get money. He thinks that when the leagues first began, people did not see them favorably. However, over time, a number of players began to realize how important it was to play in various situations and with different teams.
“The leagues were viewed negatively when they first began since participants’ primary motivation seemed to be money. However, when you play in other leagues, you find little nuggets of gold, according to the 33-year-old, who ESPN Cricinfo cited.
Tabraiz Shamsi used his personal experience to illustrate how the Caribbean Premier League (CPL)’s exposure to various playing conditions and styles greatly benefited his growth. about his experience playing in the 2015 CPL with the Kitts & Nevis Patriots.
“Being in those stadiums and performing well on those pitches as a young player in the CPL before I made my Proteas debut in the West Indies helped me feel so relaxed.” Thus, I felt at home when I finally got to play for South Africa,” the Gauteng native continued.
We’ve observed the impact the IPL has had on Indian youth: Tabraiz Shamsi
Tabraiz Shamsi emphasized the value of these experiences in smoothing the transition from local to international cricket, citing his own and other players’ advantages in being able to manage pressure and setbacks in front of sizable audiences. In a similar spirit, Shamsi lauded the influence of the well-known Indian Premier League (IPL) on Indian players, citing it as an excellent example.
“We’ve seen what the Indian Premier League has done for Indian players—and Indian youth in particular—over the years. When they enter the global arena, they already have experience performing in front of large audiences. They have dealt with disappointments and poor performances in front of large audiences, and they have also experienced success in front of appreciative audiences. It’s just business as usual when it comes to international cricket,” Shamsi said.
The seasoned South African spinner was upbeat about South Africa creating comparable success stories through the SA20 T20 tournament. He thinks that the exposure that these competitions offer would better equip the next players for the demands of playing in international cricket.
“The SA20 is fantastic for our nation because it exposes players. We may not see it right now or in the near future since we have only had one season, but in the coming years, we will be able to observe how much better-prepared our younger players and men in the system will be when they finally have the chance to play for the Proteas. The fact that they are playing international cricket won’t matter. They’ll just let their inherent ability show,” Shamsi said in closing.