Veteran South Africa fast bowler Shabnim Ismail has bid farewell from international cricket with immediate effect. The Proteas pace sensation, who was renowned for her exceptional speed and fervour for fast bowling, became one of the top fast bowlers of her generation and was even bestowed with the moniker ‘demon’ during her stint in age-group cricket.
In her nearly 16-year-long illustrious career, Ismail bagged 317 wickets across 1 Test, 127 ODIs, and 113 T20Is. She participated in all eight T20 World Cups and four 50-over World Cups. The experienced campaigner retired as the second-highest wicket-taker (191) in ODI cricket, just behind Indian legend Jhulan Goswami.
Ismail thanked her family, teammates, fans and South African Cricket for extending their immense support through the ups and downs of her career.
“After 16 years proudly representing my country, I have come to the difficult decision to retire from international cricket and move on to the next chapter of my life. As any athlete knows, training and competing at your best requires much sacrifice and dedication, and I now find myself wanting to spend more time with my family, particularly my siblings and parents as they get older,” said Ismail in a statement released by Cricket South Africa (CSA).
“They have always been my biggest support and I want to be able to be there for them in the way they have been there for me over the past 16 years. I really believe that reducing the amount of cricket I play will enable me to do this, and playing in global leagues is the only way I see to be able to fit in both family and cricket.”
“As I look back on my international career, I am so grateful for all the opportunities and experiences I have had. I have loved being able to compete at the highest level and I am so proud of being able to be part of a wonderful group of players who have led the way for women in cricket. The memories I have will stay with me forever,” she added.
While Ismail has decided to hang her boots from international cricket, she will continue playing and entertaining in various T20 tournaments.
“As I step into this new stage of life, I am excited to explore new opportunities and spend more time with those I love. However, cricket will always hold a special place in my heart, and I will continue to be a proud ambassador for the sport in South Africa. I look forward to continuing to perform at the highest level over the next few years across various T20 competitions across the globe,” confirmed Ismail.
