Shabnim Ismail

Shabnim Ismail

Born on October 5, 1988, Shabnim Ismail is a South African cricketer who marked her debut for the national women’s team in January 2007. Renowned as a right-arm fast bowler, Ismail holds the distinction of being South Africa’s all-time leading wicket-taker in both One Day Internationals and Twenty20 Internationals. Recognized for her exceptional pace, she is widely regarded as one of the fastest female bowlers globally. Ismail’s remarkable career includes appearances in every edition of the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 tournament since 2009, featuring prominently in tournaments held in 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2020, and 2023.

In her formative years, Shabnim Ismail began as a second-change bowler before evolving into a frontline force, leading the bowling attack from the forefront and often opening the innings. For over a decade, she has been an indispensable component of the South African bowling unit. Ismail typically partners with Marizanne Kapp to open the bowling, forming a formidable and highly regarded fast-bowling duo that is widely acclaimed as one of the finest combinations in women’s international cricket.

History: 

Shabnim Ismail was born and raised in Cravenby, located in the suburb of Parow, east of Cape Town’s city center. Growing up as the youngest of seven siblings, her parents had immigrated to South Africa from India. In the streets of Cravenby, she played cricket, soccer, and various other sports with neighborhood children, including her older brothers, her cousin Yaseen Vallie, and future South African international cricketers Vernon Philander and Beuran Hendricks.

Ismail attended Cravenby Secondary School, a combined institution catering to both primary and secondary learners. Despite the absence of organized cricket activities for girls at the school during her early years, Ismail immersed herself in football, often playing with boys. It wasn’t until her sixth year at school that a boys’ cricket team was established. She eagerly joined the team, even wearing her football shorts. Her passion for cricket was fueled by her sports-loving mother and grandfather, who actively encouraged her to play and watch the sport. They often shared cricket books with her, nurturing her love for the game.

In 2004, while playing football with boys, Ismail was approached by a woman who noticed her sporting talent and inquired whether she played cricket. Upon confirming her interest, Ismail was recruited into the Primrose Cricket Club, marking the beginning of her cricketing journey. Initially, Ismail focused on batting but struggled with the disappointment of being dismissed. 

However, after a coach suggested she shift her focus to bowling, she quickly embraced the change. Her penchant for bowling bouncers earned her the nickname “The Demon” among her peers. Almost immediately after joining the club, Ismail made her debut for the Western Province Under-16 team and swiftly progressed to the Western Province senior squad.

After completing her schooling, Ismail spent seven years working as a speed-point technician, responsible for maintaining credit and debit card machines used in electronic funds transfers at the point of sale. In August 2016, she embarked on a new path, pursuing studies to become a mechanical engineer.

Teams:

Ismail embarked on her senior cricket journey for Western Province in October 2005 at the age of 17, debuting during South Africa’s Women’s Provincial League 2005-2006 season. Her debut season saw her impress with 15 wickets, the second-highest tally for Western Province behind Shandre Fritz and Alexis le Breton. Continuing her stellar performance, Ismail claimed 21 wickets in the 2007-2008 season, ranking sixth in the competition. 

Throughout her career, Ismail has been a consistent presence in the Provincial League’s finals. During the 2015-2016 season, she transitioned from Western Province to Gauteng. In September 2019, she earned a spot in the Devnarain XI squad for the inaugural edition of the Women’s T20 Super League in South Africa.

In December 2015, during the inaugural season of Australia’s Women’s Big Bash League, Ismail joined the Melbourne Renegades as an overseas marquee player, stepping in temporarily for Rachel Priest. In her debut match against the Melbourne Stars, Ismail’s impactful performance saw her claim figures of 3/10 from four overs, contributing to a convincing five-wicket victory.

Leading up to the 2019-20 season, Ismail inked a deal with the Sydney Thunder for WBBL (Women’s Big Bash League). Despite securing a modest total of ten wickets, placing her 25th in the league, her standout performance as the third-most economical bowler, conceding just 5.88 runs per over, underscored her impact throughout the tournament. In an article penned by Thunder captain Rachael Haynes for The Sydney Morning Herald, Ismail’s exceptional fielding prowess was lauded as one of the top five highlights of the season.

Re-signed by the Sydney Thunder for the WBBL season 6, Ismail emerged as a pivotal figure in their triumphant campaign. Her standout performance included a match-winning spell of 2/12 in the WBBL final, where she claimed the crucial wicket of Meg Lanning, restricting the Melbourne Stars to a modest 86/9 in their allotted 20 overs. Ismail’s impactful contributions earned her the Player of the Final award for her role in creating early momentum with key wickets, ultimately propelling the Sydney Thunder to their second WBBL title. 

Notably, she became the first South African player to clinch the Player of the Final award in the Women’s Big Bash League final. Unfortunately, Ismail was sidelined for the WBBL7th edition due to a prolonged knee injury.

In 2016, Shabnim Ismail joined the Yorkshire Diamonds for the inaugural season of England’s Women’s Cricket Super League. As one of the team’s three overseas players, alongside Australians Alex Blackwell and Beth Mooney, she was among only four South Africans competing in the league. Ismail showcased her talent in all five matches for the Diamonds, claiming six wickets throughout the season, second only to Danielle Hazell among her teammates. Notable performances included figures of 2/16 from two overs against the Western Storm and 2/23 from four overs against the Lancashire Thunder.

Later, Ismail was enlisted by the Oval Invincibles as a replacement player for Rachael Haynes in the inaugural edition of the Women’s Hundred competition for the 2021 season. Her impressive display prompted the Oval Invincibles to secure her services for the 2022 season of The Hundred in April 2022.

Shabnim Ismail fetched a staggering INR 1 crore bid from the UP Warriorz during the inaugural WPL auction, surpassing her base price of INR 40 lakh. In an intense bidding war between the Delhi Capitals and the Warriorz, the latter emerged victorious. Renowned as the backbone of South Africa’s bowling attack for years, Shabnim is poised to lead the Warriorz’ pace battery in the WPL.

Shabnim Ismail, making her debut for South Africa in January 2007 at the age of 18, has been a stalwart in international cricket. Across formats, her contributions have been notable. She was pivotal in South Africa’s campaigns in various ICC events, including the World Cup and World Twenty20 tournaments. Ismail’s consistency earned her contracts with Cricket South Africa, and she was named among South Africa’s standout players by the ICC. Achieving milestones like 100 wickets in WT20Is and 150 wickets in WODIs, she continues to be a formidable force in the sport, representing South Africa with distinction.

Achievements and Awards:

In January 2021, Ismail etched her name in cricketing history as only the fourth bowler to achieve the milestone of 100 wickets in Women’s T20 Internationals (WT20Is). As of 2022, she holds a notable record, boasting the highest number of wickets taken at a single venue in the history of Women’s One Day Internationals (WODIs), with an impressive tally of 24 scalps achieved at Senwes Park in Potchefstroom. However, on May 3, 2023, Ismail bid farewell to her illustrious career, announcing her retirement from international cricket.

Shabnim Ismail’s exceptional performances have garnered numerous accolades throughout her career. In 2015, she clinched the prestigious CSA Women’s Cricketer of the Year award at the annual South Africa Cricket Awards ceremony, further solidifying her impact on the sport. That same year, she was recognized as one of the top contenders for the South Africa Sportswoman of the Year at the annual South African Sports Awards.

Her achievements continued to be celebrated, as she was honored with the women’s T20 player of the year title at Cricket South Africa’s annual awards ceremony in July 2020. In February 2021, Ismail’s stellar contributions earned her the coveted title of Women’s Player of the Month in the inaugural edition of the ICC Player of the Month Awards.

Furthermore, Ismail’s remarkable talents were acknowledged on a global scale as she was named in both the ICC Women’s ODI Team of the Year and the ICC Women’s T20I Team of the Year as part of the prestigious 2021 ICC Awards. These accolades serve as a testament to her outstanding skill and unwavering dedication to the game of cricket.

Stats:

Shabnim Ismail is a talented player in the South Africa team. She Played only one Test and scored only one run. In the Test, she took 3 wickets by giving 20 runs and her bowling figure is 2/5.

She played 127 ODI matches and scored 472 runs. In this format, she picked up 191 wickets and her best bowling figure of her is 6/10. 

In the T20 format, she played 113 matches. In those matches, she scored 186 runs. Her highest score in this format is 20*. In this format, she picked up 123 wickets and her best bowling figure of her is 5/12. 

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