Veteran South Africa pacer Shabnim Ismail is set to reverse her international retirement and could be in contention for the upcoming Womenโs T20 World Cup 2026. She retired from international cricket two years ago and, since then, has been extremely active in franchise-based cricket. Her performance has eventually impressed the team management, who are now in talks with Ismail over a potential return.ย
The experienced seamer is expected to be included in the Proteas squad after holding discussions with Cricket South Africa director of cricket Enoch Nkwe and head coach Mandla Mashimbyi. According to a report in the IOL, the squad announcement was postponed on Monday due to internal processes, although signs increasingly point to Ismail returning for the global tournament.
Her possible inclusion arrives at a crucial moment for South Africa, who have consistently challenged at ICC events but have lacked the intimidation and speed Ismail once brought with the new ball. They reached consecutive Womenโs T20 World Cup finals after her retirement and also secured a place in the ODI World Cup final in India, yet the attack has often relied more on control than outright pace.
Mashimbyi aims to add more firepower to the bowling department
Mashimbyi has repeatedly spoken about the need for added firepower in the bowling department following South Africaโs recent international assignments. Ahead of the India series, he publicly acknowledged the impact a player of Ismailโs stature could make.
โIt would be nice to have a player of Shabnimโs calibre in our bowling attack, to be honest with you. So maybe she will call me tomorrow, and if she does, that would be great,โ Mashimbyi had said before the series against India.
Notably, Ismail has continued featuring in major competitions around the world, including the Womenโs Premier League, Womenโs Big Bash League and The Hundred, where her pace has continued to trouble batters. In the last edition of the WPL, the 37-year-old claimed six wickets in seven matches at an economy rate of 6.17.ย
She also holds the mark for the fastest delivery recorded in womenโs cricket and remains one of the few bowlers capable of consistently operating at high speed across all phases of a T20 innings.
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