Tahir’s exit gives Shamsi a chance

IMRAN Tahir’s, pictured, mesmerising ability with the ball, insatiable hunger for wickets and undying passion for the badge endeared him to South African cricket fans but his retirement after 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup opens the door for another spin sensation to make his mark. The 39-year-old’s exit will leave a telling gap in the side but should not be received with doom and gloom, for in the wings, a generation of talented bowlers primed to take up the mantle lie in wait. Left-arm Chinaman bowler Tabraiz Shamsi, who has been an understudy to Tahir since arriving on the international scene in 2016, is best placed to fill his boots in the coming years. It also creates an opportunity for South Africa’s number one spinner in Test cricket, Keshav Maharaj, to stake a claim in the shorter format. Both were awarded Cricket South Africa contracts last week, further entrenching them in the national selection panel’s plans. “It is the biggest decision of my life, but I also think there is a couple of good spinners in the country who need the opportunity,” said Tahir, who was born and raised in Pakistan. “I now have to work twice as hard because these guys are younger than me,” he added. The beauty of Tahir’s contribution to the Proteas goes beyond his 156 ODI wickets. He has mentored the likes of Shamsi and Maharaj, sharing with them invaluable knowledge from playing the game all over the world. In fact, Shamsi refers to him as Mr Miyagi, drawing comparison to the relationship between student and teacher from the popular American martial arts movie, The Karate Kid. “I think for me, looking into the future, they will have more opportunities to play for South Africa.” “If I have a great World Cup, I will be very grateful to God, but I have made up my mind already, and I am very excited about it,” Tahir said. Tahir first visited South Africa with the Pakistan Under-19 team in 1998. It was during this tour where he met his Durbanborn wife, Sumayya Dildar. The pair were married in 2007, which made him eligible to turn out for South Africa. His journey to the top has been an arduous one, playing for a world-record 27 teams around the globe. The reality is that he was overshadowed by top Pakistani spinners like Saeed Ajmal and Saqlain Mushtaq, but his performances in South African domestic cricket created a solid platform to represent his adopted country. “I am grateful for what I got from Cricket South Africa,” Tahir said. “I always wanted to play in the World Cup. I still want to play T20 cricket because I feel I have the ability and can have a role in the team,” he said.