When Usman Qadir was doing exceedingly well in Australia for Western Australia and Perth Scorchers in domestic cricket and Big Bash League, so much so that he went on to represent Prime Minister’s XI against touring South Africa, his aim was to represent Australia by 2020 World Cup. This was in 2018 though.
Fast forward to 2019, and Usman is taking to his father on a regular day. “One day, I was sitting with my dad and he was saying: ‘I know you are playing in Australia at the moment but my wish was that you play for Pakistan and have a star on your chest – it’s a dream for me.’,” Qadir was quoted as saying to Wisden.
This conversation would have passed like many other casual conversations between a father and his son had Abdul Qadir not suffered a cardiac arrest and passed away in Lahore at the age of 63. Usman was devastated, but his father’s sentences kept ringing in his mind. His goals suddenly changed. “What he said to me stuck in my head. I can’t tell you about that feeling,” said the 27-year-old.
The leggie started putting in more hard work because he wanted to play for Pakistan. Results followed as only a month on from the loss of his father, Usman featured for Central Punjab in the National T20 Cup. He put on brilliant performances and the experience of Australian cricket tricked in his favour as Pakistan handed him a maiden call up to the national side on the tour of down under.
However, he could not break it into playing XI and had to wait until November 2020 to get a shot at international cricket. He got the opportunity in the home series of three T20Is against Zimbabwe, and he made the opportunities count by becoming the Player of the Series for his eight wickets in the series. Qadir was on his way to finally realise his father’s much-cherished dream.
Usman says, “My father didn’t tell me to bowl leg-spin, nobody told me. It’s a natural thing I have in my blood. But he did want me to play for Pakistan.”
Having fulfilled his father’s dreams, the Lahore born, who would be turning 28 in a few months time has now set his own goals. “My major goal is to play three World Cups in a row. This is my ambition. Inshallah, if I work hard, I will make it.”
While his father is one of the most celebrated Test cricketers in Pakistan with 236 wickets from 67 Tests, how much would Usman get, is yet to be seen?