'No disrespect towards the batter'- Tabraiz Shamsi on trademark 'shoe-call' celebration

South African spinner Tabraiz Shamsi was the hero for his side during the rain-marred second T20I clash against India at St George Park in Gqeberha on December 12. Shamsi finished with outstanding figures of 1/18 during the match which South Africa won by five wickets via DLS method.

Despite his match-winning performance, he grabbed the attention of the cricket world with his 'shoe-call' celebration. The left-arm brought up his trademark celebration after dismissing India skipper Suryakumar Yadav. He has been criticised by many and now he disclosed the reason behind it, citing it as a 'fun celebration.' 

"It's just a fun celebration which a lot of kids enjoy and means no disrespect towards the batter... I've mentioned that countless times before. All you guys hurling abuse are just giving other genuine cricket-loving fans from your country a bad name.. cheers," the 33-year-old wrote on X.

See Tabraiz Shamsi's 'X' post:

South Africa leads 1-0 in three-match T20I series

With the first T20I against India in Durban washed out due to rain, South Africa seized a 1-0 lead in the series after clinching a five-wicket win in the second game. Speaking of the game, the Proteas skipper Aiden Markram won the toss and invited the visitors to bat first. India, led by Suryakumar Yadav, faced early setbacks with openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill departing for ducks in the first and second overs, respectively.

Suryakumar then led the charge for his side, scoring 56 off 36 balls. He formed notable partnerships with Tilak Varma (29 off 20) and later with Rinku Singh, who remained unbeaten with a brilliant knock of 68 runs off 39 balls. These contributions helped India post a total of 180 runs before rain intervened in the 19.3 overs of the first innings. For South Africa, Gerald Coetzee stood out with a three-wicket haul, while Marco Jansen, Lizaad Williams, Tabraiz Shamsi, and Aiden Markram each claimed one wicket.

In the revised target, South Africa successfully chased down the target, reaching 152 runs in 15 overs with seven balls to spare. Reeza Hendricks played a pivotal role in the victory, delivering a rapid innings of 49 runs off 27 balls. The win allowed South Africa to take the lead in the series, showcasing a balanced performance in all departments.