Pakistan's Qadir on verge of stunning backflip

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This was published 4 years ago

Pakistan's Qadir on verge of stunning backflip

By Daniel Cherny

Less than a year after declaring he had turned his back on Pakistan for good in a bid to play for Australia, Usman Qadir has been named in a Pakistan squad to tour Australia next month.

Qadir, 26, the son of Pakistani great Abdul Qadir who died of a cardiac arrest last month, was included in a new-look Pakistan squad for the upcoming tour of Australia.

Usman Qadir (right) playing for WA in 2018.

Usman Qadir (right) playing for WA in 2018.Credit: AAP

Usman, who like his late father is a leg-spinner, has been included in the squad for the three-match Twenty20 international series, while 16-year-old paceman Nasim Shah is among the fresh faces in the squad for the two Tests that follow.

With Sarfraz Ahmed sacked as captain, Babar Azam will lead the T20 side while Azhar Ali has been named Test captain.

Sarfraz has been overlooked for both squads, replaced as wicketkeeper by Mohammad Rizwan.

But it is the selection of Qadir which is most remarkable. The leggie made his domestic debut in Pakistan in 2010 but, fed up with the politics of Pakistani cricket, headed to Australia, playing for the Perth Scorchers and Western Australia as well as a stint with Sydney grade club Hawkesbury.

He made his debut for WA in a one-dayer against Victoria at Junction Oval 13 months ago, with figures of 3-50.

Interviewed after the game, Qadir said he wanted to fast-track his Australian citizenship with an eye to playing for Australia at the 2020 T20 World Cup.

"No more Pakistan. I want to play for Australia definitely, 100 per cent," Qadir said.

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"Because I did not get any chances in Pakistan. There is politics. I did not get any chances."

He reiterated these sentiments in an interview with SBS as recently as January this year.

Pakistan cricket great Abdul Qadir.

Pakistan cricket great Abdul Qadir.Credit: Mario Borg

However in early February it emerged that Qadir had been charged with driving 50km/h over the speed limit in East Perth.

He was censured by the WACA and following mixed form for the Scorchers and WA he didn't feature in any Australian domestic games after February 1.

On February 28, Qadir was fined $1000 by a Perth court for one count of "reckless driving exceeding the speed limit by 45 km/h or more in a confiscation zone". He also lost his licence for six months.

He returned to Pakistan, playing a handful of domestic T20s for local side Central PNJB before being picked for the upcoming tour.

Hawkesbury have meanwhile been expecting Qadir to return at some stage this season with the club not anticipating his national call-up.

Pakistan chief selector and head coach Misbah ul-Haq said Qadir had been picked in part for his experience in Australian conditions.

"Usman Qadir is playing and in T20, there is a spark in his bowling," Misbah was quoted as saying by Pakistan cricket website PakPassion.

"He has some experience of playing in Australia in the BBL. All the white ball cricket he's played, he has some zip in his bowling.

"He has an advantage due to height and he has variations, a good flipper, googly, leg-spin is also good. Considering that we're facing an issue with our wrist-spin back-up and his experience in Australia, we picked him in the team and we're also keeping the T20 World Cup in Australia in mind.

"I haven't heard anything [about Usman Qadir applying for Australian nationality]. He is playing cricket in Pakistan and is here. If he is playing here and if we feel he can be a future prospect, we will back him."

Pakistan squads

T20Is: Babar Azam (capt), Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Sohail, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Irfan, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Musa Khan, Shadab Khan, Usman Qadir, Wahab Riaz.

Tests: Azhar Ali (capt), Abid Ali, Asad Shafiq, Babar Azam, Haris Sohail, Imam-ul-Haq, Imran Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Kashif Bhatti, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Musa Khan, Nasim Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood, Yasir Shah.

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