Introduction:

Shamar Joseph, born on August 31, 1999, is a cricketer from Guyana. He plays for Guyana in first-class cricket and represents the West Indies in international matches. Joseph is known for his right-arm fast bowling. He started his international cricket journey in January 2024, playing against Australia at the Adelaide Oval. In his debut match, he took the wicket of Steve Smith with his first ball, a remarkable achievement. He went on to take a total of five wickets, with figures of 5/94, making it the best debut performance by a West Indian bowler in Australia. Before becoming a professional cricketer, Joseph worked as a security guard. In this blog, we will highlight Joseph’s entire journey filled with challenges and hardships.

The Early Life of Shamar Joseph

Shamar Joseph grew up in a little village where there wasn’t much money. Even though things were tough, he really loved playing cricket, and everyone could see that he was good at it. Before Shamar Joseph became a cricketer, he used to work with his family in the logging industry. They cut down trees and transported the timber down the river in Baracara to New Amsterdam. One day, a tree almost fell on him, so he decided to leave Baracara and move to New Amsterdam to find safer work to support his family.

In New Amsterdam, Shamar first worked in construction as a labourer. Later, he became a security guard at Amalgamated Security Services in Scotiabank. His job required him to work long shifts, sometimes for 12 hours, during the day and at night. This left him with very little time to play cricket.

Eventually, with the support of his fiancée, Shamar made the decision to quit his job as a security guard and focus on playing cricket full-time.

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From Security Guard to Cricket Player

Shamar Joseph got his first chance in cricket through Romario Shepherd, on Feb 2023. Shepherd introduced him to the Guyana cricket team, where he met Esuan Crandon, the head coach, and other experienced players like Leon Johnson, who was the captain at that time. Shamar also received support from Damion Vantull, a former cricketer turned businessman, who encouraged him to pursue cricket instead of continuing as a security guard.

Making a great start, Shamar impressed everyone in Division 1 cricket with debut figures of 6/13. He also attended a fast-bowling clinic run by Curtly Ambrose and played for the Muslim Youth Organisation (MYO) Sports Club in Georgetown.

Shamar, initially an uncapped player, made his first-class debut for Guyana against Barbados in the West Indies Championship. He took his first 5 wicket haul in first-class cricket against the Windward Islands.
Later, he joined the Guyana Amazon Warriors for the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) in 2023. Prasanna Agoram, the talent scout for Guyana Amazon Warriors, played a significant role in encouraging Shamar to take his cricket career seriously. Shamar became a key member of the Guyana Amazon Warriors, helping them win the 2023 CPL.

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In List A cricket, Shamar made his debut for Guyana in the Super50 Cup against Barbados. He also represented West Indies A in South Africa, performing well in a three-match first-class series, where he was the joint highest wicket-taker for the team with 12 wickets, along with Kevin Sinclair.

Shamar Joseph’s Impressive Wicket-Taking Record

In December 2023, Shamar Joseph was selected as one of seven new players in the West Indies test squad for the tour of Australia in the 2023–2025 ICC World Test Championship. He played his first test match at the Adelaide Oval on January 17, 2024, in the first game of the two-match series against Australia. His impressive bowling in the earlier matches against Cricket Australia XI earned him a spot in the test series.

During his test debut, Joseph batted at number 11 and scored 36 runs in the first innings. He even had a great partnership of 55 runs with Kemar Roach, helping West Indies reach a total of 188. This made him the highest-scoring West Indian number 11 batsman on test debut.

Not only did Joseph contribute with the bat, but he also made a significant impact with the ball. In his first over, he dismissed Australian opener Steve Smith for 12 runs, becoming only the second West Indies bowler to take a wicket off the first delivery in test cricket. He later achieved a remarkable five-wicket haul in the same match, becoming the tenth West Indies cricketer to do so on test debut. Joseph made history as the first West Indies player to both score over 50 runs and take a five-wicket haul on his test debut.

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Although West Indies lost the first match, Joseph’s outstanding performance made him a fan favorite. In the second test match on January 28, 2024, he picked up eight wickets, including a crucial 7/68 in the second innings. His exceptional bowling helped West Indies secure a thrilling eight-run victory, marking their first test win in Australia in 27 years. Despite injuring his toe while batting in the second innings, Joseph completed the match by taking the final wicket and was named the player of the series for his remarkable bowling throughout. Commentators, including Ian Bishop, celebrated Joseph’s achievements, calling him “Joseph the Deliverer” in this dream come true moment for West Indies cricket.

In his first series, Joseph did amazingly well. He took important wickets at just the right times, helping his team a lot. He was so good that even the toughest batters struggled against him, and people praised him a lot.

The Impact of Shamar Joseph’s Success on His Career

Joseph’s success in cricket opened up new opportunities for him. He got recognized and started earning good money, which helped him take care of his family and help out his community. His story inspired other cricketers from similar backgrounds to believe in themselves and chase their dreams, no matter what.

As Joseph became more famous, he became a role model for young cricketers. He used his fame to speak up for fair chances for everyone and to support programs that help kids learn cricket. People loved him because he stayed humble and real, which made him a favorite among cricket fans.

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Conclusion:

Shamar Joseph’s Inspiring Journey:

Shamar Joseph’s story is really inspiring. He worked really hard and never gave up, which helped him become successful. Even though he started from a simple background, Shamar proved that if you believe in yourself and work hard, you can achieve your dreams. As Shamar keeps playing cricket and doing well, his story shows how important it is to believe in yourself and stay dedicated to your goals.