Saturday, Oct 12, 2013
Sharjah: Pakistan A leg-spinner Usman Qadir is the son the of the legendary Abdul Qadir and for the promising 20-year-old bowler it was a special moment when he played at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium against South Africa last week, having grown up watching videos of his father bowling Pakistan to many victories here.
Speaking to Gulf News after bowling on the same wicket where his father made batsmen sweat and struggle, Usman said: “I always used to watch my father’s videos of his playing days in Sharjah. Watching his bowling here had always inspired me. I have always tried to bowl the kind of deliveries he used to produce in matches here.”
Usman, who was born on August 10, 1993, was only three months old when Qadir played his final one-day international, which happened to be at Sharjah.
Many cricket fans here can still recall Abdul’s deadly spells in Sharjah. He produced one of the finest exhibitions of leg-spin bowling at this stadium against New Zealand in April 1986 in the AustralAsia Cup, when he returned figures of 10 overs, four maidens, nine runs and four wickets to help bowl the Kiwis out for 64 as Pakistan won by 10 wickets.
When asked whether his father gave him any advice on how to bowl in Sharjah, Usman said: “He told me to bowl on a line and length and, if the ball does not turn, try and bowl wicket to wicket.”
Usman dismissed South Africa’s A B de Villiers and impressed everyone, with Proteas spin bowling consultant Claude Henderson saying: “The boy has a nice action and bowled really well. I enjoyed watching him.”
Usman does not have the same unconventional action as Abdul. “I opted for my natural action,” said Usman, who impressed the selectors with his bowling for Pakistan under-19 and under-23 teams. “I did not copy my father’s action because I realised that it is very difficult to copy him. What I try to do instead is produce deliveries like he used to do in matches.
“From the very start I only bowled leg-spin because I wanted to become a leg-spinner like my father. He taught me the basics at the age of six. So now whenever I am in trouble, am not bowling well and if batsmen hit me for sixes, I go to him for help and he provides me with useful tips.
“I recently bowled well in the Asian Cricket Council Emerging Cup in Singapore for Pakistan Under-23 team and that is how I got a call to play in Pakistan A. I want to always give my best like my father used to do for Pakistan.”
By K.R.Nayar Chief Cricket Writer
Gulf News 2013. All rights reserved.
