South African spinner Tabraiz Shamsi recently made his Big Bash League debut with Adelaide Strikers after his stint in the ILT20. The spinner performed brilliantly in his very first match against Perth Scorchers by taking two wickets and had a great celebration.
The 2025–26 BBL season is one of the most important editions of the tournament, as it has been the year of debutants. This season saw a number of Pakistani legends make their BBL debuts, as well as a number of young Australian cricketers, and now it is South African spinner Tabraiz Shamsi.
South Africa’s renowned international batsman Tabraiz Shamsi made his way into franchise cricket but was not a part of most of the world’s major global franchise leagues. Although Shamsi was left out of the Protea white-ball team, he made several league appearances in the 2025–26 season.
South African spinner Tabraiz Shamsi shines on BBL debut
Tabraiz Shamsi belongs to one of the rarest clans present in world cricket, as he is a chinaman bowler like former Australian Brad Hogg and Indian superstar Kuldeep Yadav, which is a rare sight in modern cricket.
Shamsi has played domestic cricket around the world and appeared in the IPL for Royal Challengers Bangalore and Rajasthan Royals, but was yet to make his ILT20 and BBL debut, which he finally did in the 2025–26 season.
Ignoring his stint in the domestic league SA20, Shamsi made his debut in the ILT20 with the Gulf Giants and featured in 5 matches, and then made his BBL debut for the Adelaide Strikers.
In the very first match of his career for the Strikers, the spinner took three wickets on debut. He came out of the game with notable figures of 3/30 from his four overs, partnering with Lloyd Pope, who bowled brilliantly with 4/23 from 4 overs.
Shamsi stuns BBL crowd with “shoe-call” celebration on his first BBL scalp
Shamsi gave the breakthrough to Adelaide Strikers in his second over of the game. In the previous game, Scorchers centurion Mitchell Marsh had put on a 72-run partnership with Sam Fanning and the Strikers were in desperate need of a breakthrough.
On the very first ball of the 10th over, Marsh was caught around the neck at long-on, as he was trying to take Tabraiz Shamsi across the boundary. As soon as he got his first wicket, Shamsi looked very happy and celebrated his dismissal with his teammates.
He then proceeded to perform his famous ‘shoe-call’ celebration, as he used his shoe as a symbolic phone and dialed a number, then placed it to his ear. The BBL crowd was both surprised and excited by the kind of celebration they witnessed. After this he dismissed Cooper Connolly for zero in the same over.
pick up the phone
Tabraiz Shamsi took his first BBL wicket, and his celebration was golden! #bbl15 pic.twitter.com/SyT41d3H32
– KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) 4 January 2026
Give for Shamji!
South African spinner dismissed Cooper Connolly for a duck #bbl15 pic.twitter.com/AJRiFr9xUG
– KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) 4 January 2026
Tabraiz Shamsi is among the players left out by South Africa for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026
Tabraiz Shamsi was one of several players left out by South Africa ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. Shamsi has not been given many opportunities by the Proteas after the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 due to the rise of players like George Linde and Corbyn Bosch, who can also be effective with the bat.
He was among several players who were part of the 2024 team that finished runner-up in the last edition. This time he is not a part of the selected team. However, if he continues his form in the Big Bash League then South Africa may reconsider their choice.
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