‘We are in a good space to push for play-offs’
Rajasthan Royals’ Shamsi relishing the challenge
Tabraiz Shamsi, the No. 1 ranked T20 bowler from South Africa who will be turning out for Rajasthan Royals in the UAE leg of the IPL, feels that his team is very much in with a chance to make it to the play-offs.
A Chinaman bowler, Shamsi who has arrived in Dubai after the Sri Lanka series and now in quarantine, felt it’s the performance in the second half of a long competition like the IPL which matters.
“I think whether the team is at the first spot or the fifth, the position at the halfway mark doesn’t really count. It’s what you do in the second half that matters. So I think we’re in a good position right now and we’ve got half a tournament to play, so it depends on how we play the rest of the games,” he said.
Speaking to Royals media team, the Johannesburg-based spinner added that he aims to add to the Royals’ team environment. “I’m really looking forward to the experience with a new team. What’s really, really exciting is just the vibe that I’ve picked up, from not just the players but also the management. The overall feeling in the Rajasthan camp is amazing.”
Shamsi, who has 40 wickets from 30 ODIs and 49 wickets in 42 T20Is for South Africa, said he had often expected to be drafted in IPL but came to terms with the rejection. “In the past when I was younger, it (not getting picked) did affect me a little bit. But as you grow older, you realise there are bigger things in life …. I feel like I just have to do my work, and if a team feels I can benefit them with my services, they would pick me like Rajasthan has and I’m going to try my best to make sure that we win the competition.”
Adding that he’s excited about bowling against some of the best batsmen in the world, Shamsi said that the definition of a good spell has evolved. “With reference to the conditions in UAE and the shorter boundaries in Sharjah, I think it is a challenge but it also means that you have an opportunity to get wickets.”