(Cricket news) Wanindu Hasaranga de Silva and Tabraiz Shamsi have picked up a total of 72 wickets in T20 internationals this year. Both have 36 wickets apiece as Shamsi has played 22 matches while Hasaranga has played two matches less, their teams as of now don’t have any more T20 matches left this year.
Hasaranga made his T20 debut for Sri Lanka two years later and has played 32 matches since then while taking 52 wickets. The 24 year old was the lone shining star in the Sri Lankan team as he is still leading the bowling charts with 16 wickets in 8 matches and broke the existing record of Ajantha Mendis who took 15 wickets in the 2012 T20 World Cup. The spinner has been one of the leading bowlers for Sri Lanka in the shortest format. Hasaranga is the highest wicket taker for Sri Lanka among active players and is fourth overall in the list, he needs to take 14 more wickets to overtake fast bowler Nuwan Kulasekara who had retired from the shortest format four years ago.
Hasaranga has many stars to look upto in the game as he is leading the current generation of youngsters in the game. Although Sri Lanka made an early exit at the ICC T20 World Cup, the players who have had little experience shone in the event as Hasaranga continued to break records for the team.
Shamsi made a late entry into the South African team as a 27 year old in the T20 format. He has played over 47 matches while picking up 57 wickets, he picked up 8 wickets in 5 matches and has been the top bowler for South Africa which hasn’t produced a lot of spinners but in recent years has seen many spin bowlers coming in the front. Shamsi broke Andrew Tye’s record of 31 wickets in 2018 in T20 matches. Shamsi is only 7 wickets from being the highest wicket taker for South Africa in the shortest format as former pacer Dale Steyn is leading with 64 wickets in 47 matches.
Even though Shamsi is 31 years old, the spinner can ignite a spark in the team just like Imran Tahir who has been one of the best spinners the country has ever produced since Hugh Tayfield who was one of the leading bowlers in the 50’s. The pacers have been leading the South African team in all the formats but players like Tahir, Shamsi and Keshav Maharaj have brought the transitional change which has been much needed for the team.
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