Proteas spinner Shamsi rejoins Sri Lanka tour

Shamsi is back in the Proteas camp after a brief return to South Africa. Photo: Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix

Shamsi is back in the Proteas camp after a brief return to South Africa. Photo: Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix

Published Jul 18, 2018

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COLOMBO – Proteas spinner Tabraiz Shamsi has rejoined his teammates in Sri Lanka ahead of Friday’s second Test after a brief return to South Africa.

Shamsi’s participation in the second and final Test was cast in doubt after it was confirmed by Cricket South Africa on Monday that the left-hand wrist-spinner had returned home to for “family reasons”.

The 28-year-old was one of the few Proteas to leave Galle with his reputation intact after taking four wickets in South Africa’s 278-run defeat.

With Shamsi out of the country, it was looking likely that uncapped Titans leg-spinner Shaun von Berg would indeed get his first start in national colours after impressing on the domestic circuit over the past few seasons.

CSA have now confirmed that Shamsi, who has just two Test caps to his name, has linked up with the squad once again with the expectation that he will resume in his duty as a back-up to number one spinner Keshav Maharaj.

Shamsi’s return leaves Von Berg facing an anxious wait to see if the Proteas tinker with the starting XI and take an unprecedented decision to play three spinners with another spin-friendly track likely to be on offer in Colombo.

African News Agency (ANA)

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