'Once I get on the field, I turn into beast mode'

SHABNIM Ismail (in pic) is the fastest bowler in the world. But that is not all, she is the second-highest wicket-taker in ODIS and T20Is (behind Jhulan Goswami and Ellyse Perry, respectively).

- GOMESH S

And she has been breathing fire in the 2023 T20 World Cup so far for South Africa. In a free-wheeling chat last year with this daily, the 34-year-old took a deep dive to talk about being the quickest in the world, the technicalities of her bowling and more...

On 15 years as a fast bowler

Obviously, there's been bumps along the along the road, but I think the way I've been playing my peak cricket for the past maybe four or five years. I've been just peaking and I always say at the age of 33 (at the time of the chat), a lot of people think, 'oh, she's close to 35, etc, but for me, I feel my game is just actually peaking now and I'm willing to obviously put in the hard yards, still look after my body on and off the field.

On not getting any slower at 34