West Indies pacer Shamar Joseph is ecstatic after taking his maiden international wicket of Steve Smith in his Test debut on Day 1 of the first Test against Australia at the Adelaide Oval on Wednesday, January 17.
Shamar hogged the spotlight in the opening day of the Adelaide Test against Australia. The 24-year-old scored a gutsy 36 off 41 balls to propel West Indies to 188 from 133/9.
Thereafter, Joseph led visitors bowling attack by scalping two wickets and finished the figures of 2/18 at an economy rate of 3 in six overs on Day 1. In the first delivery of his Test career, Shamar Joseph picked the wicket of Australian star batter Steve Smith who edged the ball and caught at slip for 12 runs.
Speaking to the reporters after the Day 1 of the first Test, Shamar Joseph didn't hide emotions after taking Steve Smith's wicket, saying 'I'll remember this for the rest of my life'. The young pacer added that he will take the picture of Smith's dismissal and put it on the wall of his house.
"Getting Steve Smith, I'll remember this for the rest of my life. I'll actually take a picture, and post it up in my house." Joseph said.
Joseph already informed his teammates that would pick the wicket in his first delivery but was not sure that his first victim would be Steve Smith.
"I didn't know it was Steve Smith. That went well for me. I went with a positive mindset. You're coming up against the best team in Test cricket. So I just come with a positive mindset and do what I do best." the 24-year-old said.
Shamar Joseph played only 5 FC matches before Test debut
Shamar Joseph made his professional debut in a first-class match for Guyana against Barbados in 2022-23 West Indies Championship in February 2023.
In that domestic season, Joseph scalped first career five-wicket haul against Winward Islands and finished with the figures of 5/41 in his spell of 12 overs. The 24-year-old played five first-class matches and scalped 21 wickets at an average of 21.80 and an economy rate of 3.49.
Shamar Joseph was one of the seven uncapped players to be part of West Indies Test tour of Australia. His spells in the practice match against Cricket Australia XI at Karen Rolton Oval guaranteed him a place in the first Test against Australia at Adelaide.
