'People see it as a money thing, say players are participating for greed': Shamsi says IPL is much more than wealth

South Africa spinner Tabraiz Shamsi has opened up on his experience of playing franchise cricket such as IPL and CPL, saying people have a misconception that players participate in such high-profile tournaments out of a desire to earn money. Shamsi, who has represented Caribbean Premier League franchise St Kitts and Nevis Patriots and the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League asserted that the kind of exposure players get from playing these tournaments is unparalleled and personally speaking, performing in the CPL and IPL, for the left-arm spinner has helped selectors take note of him.

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"Yes definitely. I’ve been fortunate enough to play in the Caribbean Premier League and it was after I went to the CPL and did well that domestic teams in South Africa started to take me seriously and giving me regular game time and then I got picked for the national team after playing CPL and IPL," Shamsi told Cricket Pakistan in an interview.

Like numerous other youngsters, Shamsi has benefitted from playing the CPL and IPL and in the English domestic league. Shamsi has played 27 matches for St Kitts and Nevis Patriots, claiming 33 wickets including two four-wicket hauls. In the IPL the left-arm spinner hasn’t gotten many opportunities, having played only four matches back in 2016, from which he took three wickets. But the experience Shamsi has gained has been phenomenal in his rise through the ranks in South Africa cricket and the left-arm spinner feel people’s conception about such tournaments is far from the reality.

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"I find that it has helped my game quite a lot playing in the CPL, IPL and English County Cricket. People see it as a money thing and say that the players are participating in these tournaments for greed. Personally speaking, of course you do earn a bit of money but what is most important are the things that you learn from the people who are not really in your circle," Shamsi added.

"So, you are hearing different chats from West Indian players or Indian players and you are learning about the different ways people think about the game and train. You pick up the small things like that and I think that sort of exposure has really accelerated my growth as a spin-bowler."