How will India play against Pakistan?
The US began its campaign on a stern note as it faced India and Pakistan. However, Schalkwyk’s heroics took the team to the touch of an upset and he recorded spells of 4/25 against the Asian sides. The 37-year-old all-rounder’s skills stood out against India in particular, leading to three dismissals in the over, which helped reduce the Men in Blue to 77/6 at one point. Schalkwyk skillfully varied his pace against the Indian batsmen who were about to throw the ball into the stands, sending Ishan Kishan, Tilak Verma and Shivam Dube back to the pavilion.“Shadley is an experienced bowler who can adapt to different conditions. He has worked a lot with USA bowling coach Dhammika Prasad on his slower bowlers and cutters, which definitely paid off against India. We really had the upper hand,” USA assistant coach Vincent Vinay Kumar said during an exclusive interaction with TimesofIndia.com.“The team traveled to Sri Lanka for a month-long camp ahead of the T20 World Cup, which proved to be a game changer,” he added.The veteran batsman’s sense of the game similarly stood out against Pakistan where he broke the opposition’s spine with remarkable dismissals of Saim Ayub, Salman Agh and Faheem Ashraf to name a few. Not content with that, Schalkwyk followed it up with a three-wicket haul against the Netherlands, helping the USA register their first win of the ongoing edition by a mammoth margin of 93 runs.
Shadley van Schalkwyk with his wife Anzél Van Schalkwyk (special arrangement)
Father’s tough talkInterestingly, the all-rounder admitted that he was not very good at cricket initially as he could not survive more than three deliveries while playing on the street, which reflected in his attitude. However, Schalkwyk’s father Henry, who is very passionate about the sport, brought about a decisive transformation when he reflected on the importance of giving his best and valuing time in a tough interview. Purpose and heightened ambition soon seeped in, reflected in the all-round manufacturer’s intent.Schalkwyk is a product of Wynberg Boys’ High School, whose alumni include Jacques Kallis. “I was very lucky to be able to study there. It was the only school that accepted me, to be fair, out of the four schools I applied to,” the all-rounder said in an exclusive interview. While the 37-year-old looks right at home in India these days, he got his first taste of Asian conditions during a school tour in Pakistan in 2006.“I didn’t want to leave Pakistan without the century that came in my last match. My dismissals weren’t what I expected. To be brutally honest, I had no mental preparation for a tour like this. Gary Kirsten mentioned that the ball would have turned more in Pakistan but it honestly went right over my head,” said Schalkwyk, who adores Brian.Losing a contract teaches the best lessonDespite a reputation as a consummate professional, chances in South African domestic cricket were hard to come by at first, leaving the all-rounder sidelined. In the end, there was a scenario where Schalkwyk lost his first professional contract at 21 despite a good season. Universal only had one pair of shoes and couldn’t afford another. “I had just married my girlfriend at the time. There were questions about paying the rent. Fortunately, my wife helped a lot,” said the 37-year-old cricketer.While such a situation can undermine the morale of the strongest-willed sportsman, Schalkwyk took the positives from it and rediscovered his love for cricket. “The best lesson I ever learned in cricket was when I lost my contract. It’s the best thing that ever happened to me. It made me realize how much I want to play cricket,” the all-rounder said.
Shadley van Schalkwyk during the 2024 T20 World Cup (Special Arrangements)
Are you thinking of retiring at 28?While the struggle for financial stability was a concern, there was even a point where the 37-year-old cricketer considered quitting cricket at the age of 28 after a shocking spate of injuries. Schalkwyk tore each calf three times in one season, never having suffered a calf injury before in his life.“That was probably the hardest injury I’ve been through. I didn’t know what to do because I didn’t know what it was about the aspect going wrong. I said to my friend, ‘I think I’m going to retire.’“The second biggest challenge was believing that I was good enough to play at the highest level. It felt like there were times when I only had to make one play. And even when I did, I fell one way or another. The insecurity was definitely there. I keep a journal that mentions the reason for playing the game. Whenever I feel insecure, I just look at those two lines and that gets me through a lot of tough times,” added Schalk.Drawing inspiration from James Anderson, Tom BradyThe all-rounder has been a top performer for the USA since moving to the country in 2019, as well as in T20 leagues such as the Major League Cricket (MLC), where he represents the Knight Riders franchise. At 37, Schalkwyk still maintains optimal impact and draws inspiration from the likes of Tom Brady and James Anderson.“They used to bench players after a certain age. Today it’s all a number. Hats off to a lot of guys who are breaking the myth of having to retire at 36. There’s a lot of room for older sportsmen because maturity and experience play a huge role with age,” shared the cricketer.Schalkwyk has come to terms with the past and overcome the disappointment of not representing South Africa despite trying his hardest. His sole focus remains to simply come out as the best version possible and maintain his mental strength, which is certainly reflected in the stat column. “Shadley is the most confident bowler at the moment. He will be really keen to finish Namibia hard,” said Kumar.