SHAMSI: SA20 WILL ALLOW PLAYERS' NATURAL TALENT TO SHINE

Paarl Royals spinner Tabraiz Shamsi believes Betway SA20 Season 2 will hold significant importance within South African cricket next year.

Shamsi, fresh off a Player of the Match performance against India in the second T20I in Gqeberha, feels that South African players are raising the level of the game to new heights due to the exposure of playing high-pressure matches regularly in the Betway SA20.

And with the Proteas preparing for next year’s ICC T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and United States, this can only be beneficial once Season 2 gets underway on January 10 at St George’s Park.

"The SA20 is huge in terms of preparation for the (T20) World Cup. It will be in different conditions but it's T20 cricket and it's good to play as much cricket as you can play," Shamsi said. "And not only to have good games. I am a big believer that when you have bad games you learn a lot and you improve your game a lot. You've just got to be playing. It gives you another 10 fixtures to play high quality cricket."

The left-arm wrist-spinner is also looking beyond the T20 World Cup next June as he feels the impact of the Betway SA20 will be felt for years to come - in similar fashion to the Indian Premier League.

"Over the years, we've seen what the IPL has done for Indian players and Indian youngsters in particular,” Shamsi said. “When they come to the international scene they have already played in front of huge crowds, they have had their disappointments and bad games in front of huge crowds.

“So they have learned how to deal with that, and they've had success in front of good crowds so they know how to deal with that too. When they come to international cricket, it's just business as usual.

"That's why SA20 is brilliant for our country - in giving exposure to players. We've just had one season so we may not see it now, or in the near future but in the years to come we will see how much more prepared our new generation and guys that are in the system will be when they do play for the Proteas.

"It won't be a thing that they are playing international cricket. They will just let their natural talent shine," he added.

Furthermore, Shamsi feels that players should be encouraged to play T20 franchise leagues around the world instead of it being viewed as a threat to the international game.

"When the leagues first started, they were seen in a bad light in the sense that it was all about players wanting to earn money. But when you play in different leagues, you pick up little bits of golden nuggets," Shamsi said.

"We are so used to doing things a certain way in South Africa, as are other countries, so you pick up bits and pieces of what other people do slightly differently and you try that for yourself. Some of it works, some of it doesn't and you improve as a player. Guys go and get more experience, and it gives other players and it widens the pool."

Shamsi and the Proteas will have an opportunity to close out a series win over India at the Wanderers tonight in the third and final T20I.

Squads for Wanderers

South Africa: Keshav Maharaj, Reeza Hendricks, David Miller, Tabraiz Shamsi, Lizaad Williams, Heinrich Klaasen, Andile Phehlukwayo, Beuran Hendricks, Matthew Breetzke, Tristan Stubbs, Aiden Markram (capt), Ottniel Baartman, Donovan Ferreira, Nandre Burger. 

India: Ravindra Jadeja, Suryakumar Yadav (capt), Deepak Chahar, Kuldeep Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Washington Sundar, Ishan Kishan, Jitesh Sharma, Rinku Singh, Mukesh Kumar, Mohammed Siraj, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shubman Gill, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tilak Varma, Ravi Bishnoi