By Akeem Greene
West Indies’ new headline act in Test cricket, Guyanese Shamar Joseph, is beaming with smiles after this tremendous accomplishment on his debut series in Australia.
Bowling with an injured toe, the fast-bowler picked up seven wickets to lead the Caribbean side to a stunning eight-run win over the Aussies which levelled the series 1-1.
According to the 24-year-old from Baracara in East Berbice, the Caribbean Premier League was the launch pad that made the world know of his ability.
Even though he played just two matches, being a temporary injury replacement for Keemo Paul, many were impressed by his ability to bowl at high speeds and immense fitness.
As Joseph reflected on the road he took to reach this stage, he credited President Dr. Irfaan Ali for his tremendous support and guidance.
“That [CPL] was a big opportunity for me, ” Joseph said as he thanked President Ali and the management of the Guyana Amazon Warriors for the opportunity to showcase his immense talent.
“Dr. Ali has been so amazing in my career, from CPL to Super50; he has been there supporting me and reaching out to me,” he further explained.
The father of two, a security guard just over 12 months ago, revealed, “I would have never thought that the President of Guyana would reach out to me, but he sees ability in me, and I know he wants to help. He did that for me, and this is where I am today.
“I appreciate everything he does for me, and tears come to my eyes knowing that I am here in Australia, and that must make him very proud.”
Joseph is set to return home soon, opting out of the International T2O League in the United Arab Emirates to recover fully from the injury.
On Monday, it was announced that he landed a deal at the Pakistan Super League, with Peshawar Zalmi signing him up. He is expected to join the franchise at the start and remain with them for the entirety of the tournament.
The PSL starts on February 17 and runs until March 18.
If he does attend, he will miss some matches for the defending champions, the Guyana Harpy Eagles, at the Regional Four-Day championship, which runs from February 7 to April 20.
After the man-of-the-match and Player-of-the-Series performances in Australia, he said he would pursue his “dream” of playing Test cricket for the West Indies instead of the Twenty20 leagues.
“I’m not afraid to say this.
“There will be times when T20 cricket might come around. Test cricket will be there. And I will say this live. I will always be available to play for the West Indies, no matter how much money it takes or come towards me. So, I will always be here to play Test cricket,” Joseph said.
