'That's Something I Feel I Could Potentially Do' : Daniel Sams Aims To Become The Finisher Australia Needs In T20Is

Australian bowling all-rounder Daniel Sams was one of the players opting out of Australia’s tour of the West Indies and Bangladesh. Australia are currently in the West Indies and will later travel to Bangladesh to play 10 T20Is as they build for the T20 World Cup later this year. Even though Daniel Sams willingly opted out of the tours, he hopes to play the finisher’s role in the tournament.

Daniel Sams performed exceedingly well with the bat for the Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash League this season. The 28-year old made 200 runs in ten games, keeping a strike rate of 188.67 and made two fifties. Sams’ left-arm seam bowling yielded 11 wickets in ten matches at 23.72. But he is yet to do anything extraordinary for Australia thus far in the four T20Is. He has four wickets in as many games and scored 54 runs.

Daniel Sams, who contracted COVID-19 during the first half of IPL 2021 in India, revealed he has no regrets even though a part of him wishes he was there with Australia. But Sams stated that his relationship with his wife is important for him and wanted to reconnect with her after being apart for several months. Thus, mental health concerns forced him to withdraw from the West Indies and Bangladesh tours.

“I don’t have any regrets. Obviously I’ve had thoughts of, ‘I wish I was there’ but in the end I made the decision that’s best for me long-term. My relationship with Danii is the most important thing and one of the biggest reasons of me pulling out was so I can connect back in with Danii because we haven’t been apart for that long ever. So that was definitely a priority, and my mental health as well,” Sams said as quoted by Cricket.com.au.

I’d like to bat as high as possible: Daniel Sams

Daniel Sams stated hearing discussions on the finisher role that the Australian team is constantly looking for. Amongst other cricketers in contention for that role, the New South Wales-born cricketer has also put his hand up. Sams expressed his desire to bat as high as number seven.

“There’s been a lot of talk about that finisher role and that’s something I feel I could potentially do. There’s a few players that are gunning for that role, whether they’re allrounders or more the batting style but probably number seven or six, filling that role and obviously being able to bowl as well. Me being me, I’d like to bat as high as possible but being realistic for the Aussie team probably batting seven,” he added.

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