46 Facts About Shabnim Ismail

Shabnim Ismail was born on 5 October 1988 and is a South African former international cricketer who currently playing cricket leagues all over the world.

Shabnim Ismail has earned a reputation as one of the fastest female bowlers in the world having recorded the fastest ball bowled by a female of 132.1 kilometres per hour during the WPL in 2024.

Shabnim Ismail has played in every edition of the ICC Women's World Twenty20 tournament since its inception in 2009.

Shabnim Ismail has featured in ICC World Twenty20 on eight occasions in 2009,2010,2012,2014,2016,2018,2020,2023.

Shabnim Ismail has been a vital cog of South African bowling attack for over a decade.

Shabnim Ismail usually opens the bowling alongside Marizanne Kapp which is arguably one of the best fast-bowling combinations in women's international cricket.

In January 2021, Shabnim Ismail became just the fourth bowler to take her 100th wicket in WT20Is.

On 3 May 2023, Shabnim Ismail announced her retirement from international cricket.

Shabnim Ismail was born in Cape Town and raised in Cravenby, which is part of the suburb of Parow east of Cape Town's city centre.

Shabnim Ismail is the youngest of seven siblings, whose parents emigrated to South Africa from India.

Shabnim Ismail attended Cravenby Secondary School, a combined school that caters for primary as well as secondary learners.

Shabnim Ismail has said that playing against boys made her stronger.

One day in 2004, while playing football with boys, Shabnim Ismail was approached by a woman who asked her whether she played cricket.

Meanwhile, almost immediately after joining the club, Shabnim Ismail made her debut for the Western Province Under-16 team.

Shabnim Ismail took 15 wickets in her debut season, the second-most for Western Province behind Shandre Fritz and Alexis le Breton.

Shabnim Ismail has played in the Provincial League's final on a number of occasions throughout her career.

In December 2015, several weeks into the inaugural season of Australia's Women's Big Bash League, Shabnim Ismail signed with the Melbourne Renegades as an overseas marquee player, temporarily replacing Rachel Priest.

Shabnim Ismail played in one more game, an eight-run loss to the Stars, before Priest returned to the line-up.

Shabnim Ismail was awarded the player of the final award for creating an early momentum by taking key early wickets in the final which propelled Sydney Thunder for their second WBBL title.

Shabnim Ismail went onto become the first South African player to win the Player of the Final Award in the Women's Big Bash League final.

In 2016, for the inaugural season of England's Women's Cricket Super League, Shabnim Ismail signed with the Yorkshire Diamonds.

Shabnim Ismail was one of the team's three overseas players, along with Australians Alex Blackwell and Beth Mooney, and one of only four South Africans across the competition.

Shabnim Ismail played in all five matches for the Diamonds and took six wickets, behind only Danielle Hazell among her teammates.

Shabnim Ismail was signed up by Oval Invincibles as a replacement player for Rachael Haynes in the inaugural edition of the Women's Hundred competition for the 2021 season.

Shabnim Ismail made her international debut for South Africa in January 2007, in a One Day International against Pakistan.

Shabnim Ismail was selected in South Africa's squad for the 2009 World Cup in Australia, but took only a single wicket from her three matches.

Shabnim Ismail was one of the first female cricketers to be contracted by Cricket South Africa when Cricket South Africa made a landmark move to award full-time contracts to women cricketers in 2013.

Shabnim Ismail had little success, taking three wickets from her four matches.

Shabnim Ismail was the joint-leading wicket-taker for South Africa in the tournament, with six scalps in four matches.

In January 2020, Shabnim Ismail was named in South Africa's squad for the 2020 ICC Women's T20 World Cup in Australia.

Shabnim Ismail's team was knocked out of the tournament via a semi-final defeat to the host nation.

On 23 July 2020, Shabnim Ismail was named in South Africa's 24-woman squad to begin training in Pretoria, ahead of their tour to England.

Shabnim Ismail achieved her career highest ranking of no 2 in ICC WT20I rankings for bowlers following her career best bowling performance.

In March 2021, during South Africa's tour of India, Shabnim Ismail became the first bowler for South Africa to take 150 wickets in WODIs.

Shabnim Ismail ended the series as the joint wicket taker alongside fellow South African Ayabonga Khaka with ten scalps.

Shabnim Ismail was part of the South Africa squad for the 2023 ICC Women's T20 World Cup, taking two wickets as they lost in the final to Australia.

Shabnim Ismail announced her retirement from international cricket on 3 May 2023.

Shabnim Ismail won the CSA Women's Cricketer of the Year award at the 2015 annual South Africa Cricket Awards ceremony.

In July 2020, Shabnim Ismail was named women's T20 player of the year at Cricket South Africa's annual awards ceremony.

In February 2021, Shabnim Ismail was named the Women's Player of the Month in the first edition of the ICC Player of the Month Awards.

Shabnim Ismail was named in both ICC Women's ODI Team of the Year and ICC Women's T20I Team of the Year as part of the 2021 ICC Awards.

Shabnim Ismail considers South African seamer Andre Nel as her inspiration and role model due to his on-field aggression.

Shabnim Ismail chose the jersey number 89 on her shirt, a number which was worn by Andre Nel when he played at international level.

Shabnim Ismail was inspired by the physical intensity and aggression of South African seamer Dale Steyn who would go about his business on the opposition batters.

Shabnim Ismail was ordered to undergo counselling related to the alleged alcohol abuse.

Shabnim Ismail is a practising Muslim, and is the only Muslim woman to have played international cricket for South Africa.