ICC T20 WORLD CUP 2021

October 30, 2021

Tabraiz Shamsi

Sharjah Stadium

South Africa

Post Match Media Conference

South Africa 146/6, Sri Lanka 142

Q. How do you explain that last couple of minutes of this game?

TABRAIZ SHAMSI: I don't think anyone can explain it, you know. That's why we love the sport. I don't think anybody in the stadium could have guessed which way the game was going to go, but for me personally and the team, obviously we knew the guys that were out there in the middle were capable, and thankfully for us, they did the job today.

Q. What do you make of the surface? You bowled extremely well today, picked up three wickets. Personally on your bowling effort and on the pitch.

TABRAIZ SHAMSI: Yeah, I don't think there was much turn in it, to be honest. It's a smallish boundary. I think you have to really focus on the areas that you hit and be really hard on yourself on that.

I think T20 cricket is a game you need a little bit of luck, as well, to go your way. On another day you can bowl the same and go for a lot of runs. I think just focusing on the right lengths and the right areas to hit, that's all I was focusing on.

Q. Just want to hear when the batting sort of goes a bit like that, when it's sort of not the biggest total, obviously it looks like almost par for that surface, does that sort of frustrate you a bit as a bowling unit when you guys really do well to restrict the team and the batting sort of looks like it's not really getting going?

TABRAIZ SHAMSI: No, not at all. I think all the games that we've played, there's different batsmen that have put their hands up and taken the team to victory. So far obviously we've only lost the one game, which we could have won, as well.

I think it's the same from a bowling point of view. There's no need for anybody to be frustrated because the big positive is that we're not relying on one or two guys, and that's always something that you always speak about in a team. It's a joint effort, and from our point of view, we're very comfortable with the way we're sitting. There are different guys that are scoring runs and winning games for the team, and same with the ball.

Q. I just wonder after a week like you guys have had, to get over the line in a game like this, considering the way South Africa have lost games in the past and all of those things, what does it mean from a team point of view to win a game like this when you absolutely have to, and considering the week you've had?

TABRAIZ SHAMSI: Look, the funny thing is I was actually speaking about it to someone that this new team that we have, we've won these kind of moments more often than we've lost them, and that's a huge positive.

Like I mentioned earlier, those kind of things you can't say a hundred per cent predict which way it's going to go, but you have confidence in the guys that you have in the team, the way Temba steered the batting with Aiden and then for Kagi and David to come and do what they do, that was really nice to see from our point of view.

Q. How are you feeling sitting in the dugout thinking it might be up to you to smash the last few runs?

TABRAIZ SHAMSI: If it's up to me, I think there's some issues. But no, obviously like everybody else, you're really nervous. I'm just happy to be playing cricket. Obviously I picked up a little bit of a niggle, as well, before the comp started, so I just want to say a massive thanks to our medical team, as well, and the management, the way they've made sure we're all ready for games.

Yeah, I'm just really happy to be out there.

Q. (On his injury.)

TABRAIZ SHAMSI: Yeah, just a bit of a groin strain I think it was reported. Still working with it and still trying our best as a country.

Q. I just want to ask, are you happy that Quinny is back in the mix?

TABRAIZ SHAMSI: Well, of course. A player of that quality, everybody would be happy to have someone like that in the team. But anybody that plays, there's 15 players in the squad, plus the reserve players. Anybody that's in the 11, they are more than capable of winning games for the country.

I think on the day whoever is selected is ready to win games. I think that's all that matters.

Q. Personally you seemed really determined today to stamp your mark after a bit of an off day in the previous game. Just from a team perspective, as well, the whole team looked really determined and there was a lot of passion out there today.

TABRAIZ SHAMSI: Yeah, obviously we're here to try and win a World Cup for the country, and like I mentioned, I want to try and personally contribute as much as I can every game, and my previous game wasn't as good as I wanted. Like I've mentioned, just working with a bit of a niggle.

I really wanted to do something special for the bowling unit, but I've mentioned it enough times that every single guy is doing a job for the team. There's a different guy doing the job for the team every game, and today was my day. Dwaine Pretorius, Kagi, Kesh, as well, everyone that takes a ball in their hand, they're doing a great job. I'm really happy with the way things went personally as well as a team.

Obviously there's a World Cup to be won, and how can you not be passionate.

Q. Sri Lanka haven't taken the knee so far in this tournament, just like today, as directed by the cricket board, not to take the knee in support of the BLM movement. How do you feel about it as an individual and also as a team?

TABRAIZ SHAMSI: I have nothing to say to that. That does not -- that's not a matter for the South African team.

Q. Just take us through the difficulty of playing in Sharjah. Last year at the UAE at this time you were there playing cricket but it's become pretty clear that the wickets have slowed down significantly in that part of the world.

TABRAIZ SHAMSI: Yeah, obviously compared to the previous years, Sharjah was a ground because of the size of the boundaries and the wicket being so good, even the score of 200 plus wasn't safe. But from a bowling point of view, it doesn't make things any easier when you're standing there and you realise that you've got to be on top of your game every single ball you bowl.

As a bowler it doesn't make things any easier. Like I mentioned, we're just trying there and trying to nail our skills. There's a lot of work that the guys do behind the scenes. There's a lot of analysis and game plans that people come up with, and we try and implement that on the day.

Q. We've spoken before that your job is not only on the field, it's also off the field. You do a lot of work behind the scenes. Did you have to do a lot more this week in the buildup, and how long can KG talk about that six that he hit today?

TABRAIZ SHAMSI: I think the work that we do behind the scenes never changes. Every game is important for us.

I mean, KG, it's a joke running around in the team; he's always got the shot of the day, no matter what the situation is. Again, he pulled out a special six.

I think there's no need for us to be surprised anymore because he does it so often, and he puts in a lot of work behind the scenes. I'm so happy with the way he's batting, and winning games for us with both the ball and the bat.

Q. Most people are expecting Australia and England as the favourites to play the semis. What are your plans regarding this popular opinion?

TABRAIZ SHAMSI: Well, our plan is just to try and win every game that we play for South Africa. People can have whatever opinions they want. We're here for a different challenge. If we didn't believe that we can win this World Cup, we'd probably be sitting at home and watching on our television sets. That's exactly -- that's not what we're here for. We're here to win the World Cup.

Obviously all the teams in the group are very strong, and so are we. We just have to come in and try and win every game that we play.

Q. Can I just get your comment on Dwaine Pretorius's death bowling? It seems like he's come into his own with this tournament. What sort of things has he been doing behind the scenes?

TABRAIZ SHAMSI: Yeah, I think if we had to give the award of color of the team, it would be Dwaine Pretorius. He does so much analysis. He does so much work behind the scenes. He wants to make sure that he's well prepared and he's come up with his game plans with our analysts and the coaching staff. I'm really happy that he's getting the rewards.

I think we can't speak enough about the job that he did for us at the end. As you saw, the game was so close, and it's so turned out that he's become our death bowling specialist, and so far he's done a great job.

Q. Today a Sri Lankan young batsman Pathum Nissanka had a good knock. Tell us something about his inning, and how tough was it bowling to him?

TABRAIZ SHAMSI: Oh, really impressive. Obviously I'm not sure of his age, but the way he batted was really mature, and I was really impressed the way he controlled the innings. There was a lot of good stuff there.