South African spinner Tabraiz Shamsi shared a touching encounter with legendary pacer Dale Steyn following their emphatic nine-wicket victory over Afghanistan in the T20 World Cup semi-final in Trinidad, which secured South Africa’s place in the tournament final.
Steyn, who was commentating during the match, expressed his deep emotions after witnessing the historic win. “It’s emotional down here. We’re into a final,” Steyn wrote on X.
Shamsi recounted his meeting with Steyn post-match, where he received a heartfelt hug and encouraging words from the cricket icon. “I actually did speak to him after the game. He gave me a massive hug and said the exact same thing: that, like I said to you, this is not just for us. It’s for the people back home and the players that have played before us. They have laid the foundation for the team to progress, and it’s just our duty to take it one step forward,” Shamsi shared, as quoted from ESPNcricinfo.
In the semi-final, South African bowlers delivered a collective performance, restricting Afghanistan to 56 runs in 11.5 overs. The pace trio of Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, and Anrich Nortje dismantled Afghanistan’s top order, paving the way for Shamsi to shine with a three-wicket haul, clearing the tail.
Despite an early loss of Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks and captain Aiden Markram comfortably chased down the target. Reflecting on the team’s approach, Shamsi highlighted the absence of reliance on individual players, unlike previous teams. “Everybody’s really relaxed, and in this team, no one is given the responsibility to win the game for the team,” he noted.
South Africa now prepares for the final, with their opponent to be decided in the upcoming clash between India and England.
