Shabnim Ismail, South Africa’s Speed Demon With Roots in India, Hangs Her Boots

Raised in Cape Town, South African speedster Shabnim Ismail has her roots in India's Gujarat.

South African speedster of Indian-origin, Shabnim Ismail has retired from international cricket.

(Photo: BCCI/altered by The Quint)

(This article was first published on 24 March 2023. It is being re-published from The Quint's archives after Shabnim Ismail announced her retirement from international cricket on 3 May 2023.)

“I always love coming to India. Absolutely love the culture, the people. Everyone is so welcoming.”

To misapprehend this quote for a media-trained statement, guided principally by PR prerequisites, will not be too benighted a stance. Indeed, the same quote can be credited to any and every foreign cricketer coming to India, for there is no easier, faster, and more efficient way of winning over the country’s cricket fanatics.

But when Shabnim Ismail, the South African pacer who played for UP Warriorz in the Women’s Premier League (WPL), said this during an exclusive conversation with The Quint, she did, in fact, mean it. 

Shabnim Ismail's parents are from India.

(Photo: BCCI/altered by The Quint)

The differentiating factor? That, she has her roots in India, and hence, every visit to the nation, in some capacity, feels like a homecoming.

‘What do you know about your roots?’ we asked.

Shabnim replied “My parents are from India. All I know is that my dad is from a place called Surat, which is in Gujarat. I am not aware of the finer details, honestly, but I love coming to this country. And, to be a part of the WPL, I am really happy.”

Growing Up in a South African Suburb

The Ismails emigrated to the rainbow nation before Shabnim was born, and settled in Cravenby – a suburb of Cape Town. There, she spent her formative years with the ball – not the small ones that she uses now for bowling, but the big ones that she used to kick around.

“I was always into sports, but initially started off by playing soccer with the guys of my locality, in the streets of Cravenby,” she recalls.

Though they had left the nation a while back, India, and its most omnipresent element, cricket, did not part ways with the pacer’s parents. In fact, Shabnim grew up hearing stories about the beautiful game, until she was pursued to be a part of it.

My mother is a huge fan of cricket and so are my brothers, so I started playing with them in the backyards. Vernon Philander, another pacer who has played international cricket for South Africa, comes from my region, so we grew up playing together.

Shabnim Ismail, UP Warriorz cricketer

WPL 2023: Shabnim Ismail represented UP Warriorz in the Women's Premier League.

(Photo: BCCI)

The Job, the Financial Blockade and the Passion Which Evaded Both

South Africa hosted the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup for the first time in 2003, and the nation found a plethora of nascent sources of inspiration, in the likes of Shaun Pollock, Lance Klusener and Gary Kirsten.

There was, however, very little to inspire the female aspirants – full-time central contracts would arrive only an entire decade later in women’s cricket.

Shabnim, meanwhile, had her financial requirements sorted, courtesy of a new job which she landed a few years later. It was not nearly as glamorous as what she does now – a card-payment machine technician.

Yet, one could not care less so long the money reached the account, and not being from an economically blessed family, it could have prompted her to give the game up.

‘Did it?’ we asked.

‘No. Not at all. I always knew that cricket was my passion,” the 34-year-old replied. Albeit, she quickly followed it up with an honest admission.

I will not claim that it was an easy decision to pursue the sport. I had a stable income from my job, and at that age, my income from the job was much more than what cricket was offering. My family was not economically blessed. Financially, it was a difficult choice, but I had faith in my abilities and decided to continue playing cricket.

Shabnim Ismail, UP Warriorz cricketer

Representing the Rainbow Nation

Continue she did, and did so extraordinarily. The 'demon,' as she is referred to inside the Proteas' circuit, first made it to the Western Providence team, and then, to the South African senior team.

Explaining her induction to the senior side, Shabnim said “I was representing the South African junior team at the time, we were playing against the South African national team. I could never have imagined playing for the senior side, but after the game, someone told me that there was a surprise waiting for me. I replied ‘what surprise?’ A few hours later, I get the call where I am informed I am being included in the senior team.”

‘What was the reaction in your cricket-crazy family?’

‘My mom was so exciting after hearing the news, I thought I was getting married!’ she replied, her smile depicting the joy that recollection elicited.

Beyond fulfilling her family’s dreams, it was also a major step towards financial security, as she adds “Just to do the thing I loved doing, that is to play cricket, and don’t have anything else to worry about, was a big relief. And throughout my career, this love for cricket has been constant.”

Making History With South Africa...

Shabnim’s journey with South Africa has been astounding, exceeding everything that she could have ever imagined. 191 ODI wickets, 123 T20I wickets and three scalps in the longest format is a testament to the influence she has had in the side, over the past 16 years.

Yet, the apogee arrived all these years later, only this year, when Shabnim, alongside her teammates, etched their names in books of history by becoming the first South African team to qualify for the final of a World Cup – something the men had never achieved.

Shabnim was a part of the pathbreaking South African team.

(Photo: BCCI/altered by The Quint)

“To play in a World Cup final, coming from those streets of Cravenby and starting with backyard cricket, felt special. The highlight of the tournament was that we got to play in front of our fans,” she informs us, reminiscing about what transpired in Cape Town, on 26 February.

The result might not have worked out in her team’s favour, but Shabnim is unwilling to lose confidence, as she adds “we will hopefully go all the way in the next T20 World Cup.”

...And Making History by Herself

Prior to the final, Shabnim made another record, a personal one. She clocked 80 miles per hour in the semi-final against England, bowling the fastest delivery in women’s international cricket.

Shabnim clocked 80mph in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2023.

(Photo: BCCI/altered by The Quint)

Opening up on her affinity for speed, she informed “it has always been a goal to bowl as fast as I can. I love pace, and I love picking up early wickets. Opening the bowling for my nation is a privilege that I enjoy.”

Dealing With OCD

Bring out the most intimidating batter female cricket has to offer currently, and odds are high that Shabnim will be as unbothered as ever before. What does bother her, though, is obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) – a chronic disorder, wherein excessive thoughts spark repetitive behaviours.

‘Does it intervene in cricket?’

Yes, it does intervene in cricket at times, to be honest. My room needs to be prim and proper. In my cabinet, I need all of my clothes to be properly organised – stacked according to their colours. But all human beings have their personal problems, and it is about drawing a line on to what extent it is affecting you.

Shabnim Ismail, UP Warriorz cricketer

Shabnim Bids Adieu

On 5 May, Ismail announced her retirement from international cricket, with a statement that read "After 16 years proudly representing my country, I have come to the difficult decision to retire from international cricket and move on to the next chapter of my life."

More than anything else, it was evident that Shabnim valued the sacrifices his parents had to make, to see their daughter fulfil her dreams. Now, it is her turn to return the favour, as she further added "They (family) have always been my biggest support, and I want to be able to be there for them in the way they have been there for me over the past 16 years."

With 317 international wickets – alongside innumerable laurels like the second-highest WODI and fourth-highest WT20I wicket-taker – Shabnim Ismail bids adieu to the beautiful game.