Pakistan-born spinner Usman Qadir has declared his intentions of playing international cricket for Australia after excelling in his Western Australia debut on Wednesday.
Usman, the son of legendary Pakistan leg-spinner Abdul Qadir, moved to Australia in 2016 in pursuit of better professional opportunities.
He picked up 3-50 on his Western Australia debut, helping his side to a six-wicket win over Victoria in the JLT Cup match.
The 25-year-old leg spinner has played first-class cricket in Pakistan previously but gave up on his dreams of following in his father’s footsteps after growing disillusioned with the system.
Having received his father’s blessing to move Down Under, Usman is now hoping to gain Australian citizenship in time for the 2020 World Twenty20.
“No more Pakistan. I want to play for Australia definitely, 100 per cent. Because I did not get any chances in Pakistan,” Usman told the Sydney Morning Herald after his Western Australia debut.
“There is politics. I did not get any chances (in Pakistan). Hopefully I will perform well in Australia and grab the chance to play.
“Hopefully I will get citizenship in two years’ time. My goal is to play for Australia at the 2020 World T20.”
Usman has played for Pakistan at the U19 level.
“He said ‘feel free to do whatever you want to do. You are grown up and can make your own decisions, and I’m with you, I’ll support you’,” Usman said on his father’s reaction to his Australia switch.
The leg-spinner played eight first-class matches in Pakistan but managed to pick up only seven wickets. His last first-class appearance on Pakistan soil came in 2014 while representing National Bank in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. He had been a part of the Pakistan squad which took part in the 2010 and 2012 U19 World Cups.
The Lahore-born leggie also represented the Lahore Qalandars in two friendly T20 clashes against Warwickshire and Lancashire in Dubai last year.
Usman has already been picked as a replacement player for Big Bash League (BBL) outfit Perth Scorchers for the upcoming edition.
