Shamsi exceeds wife's expectation
Tabraiz Shamsi went one better than his wife's request by taking a maiden five-wicket haul as South Africa thrashed England by 90 runs on Sunday to complete a 2-1 Twenty20 series win.
The 32-year-old left-arm wrist-spinner took 5-24 as England, set 192 for victory, collapsed to 101 all out with 20 balls to spare at Southampton after losing their last eight wickets for 49 runs.
Earlier, in-form South Africa opener Reeza Hendricks hit 70 -- his third fifty of the series -- and Aiden Markram made an unbeaten 51 as the Proteas posted a competitive 191-5.
Recalled left-arm quick David Willey took 3-25.
Shamsi's haul was all the more impressive given his expensive return of 0-49 in England's series-opening win in Bristol.
But South Africa have been much improved in the field since that 41-run defeat and this win gave them a first T20 series success in England, as well as their first white-ball bilateral series victory in the country since 1998.
"Before I came to the game, my wife casually said she wants four wickets," Shamsi said at the presentation ceremony.
"And I looked at her to say 'as if you can just buy wickets at a supermarket?'. That's why I was a bit more animated in my celebrations today."
Defeat left England still searching for a first series win under new white-ball captain Jos Buttler following one-day international and T20 reverses against India and a drawn ODI campaign with the Proteas.
Jonny Bairstow (27) was the only England batsman to make more than 20, but Buttler and coach Matthew Mott do have at least seven matches at this level scheduled in Pakistan in September in which to turn things around before the T20 World Cup in Australia.
Comments