Usman Qadir: “I want to make a comeback in the Pakistan team but I need to improve my performance. There is no point in giving statements without performance”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Usman Qadir, the Pakistan spinner, admitted there is no point talking about making an international comeback without having the performances to back it up.
Qadir, the 30-year-old son of legendary Pakistan spinner Abdul Qadir, was regularly utilised by the men in green in T20Is at one point.
He took full advantage of the opportunities given to him as he claimed 29 wickets in 23 T20Is at an average of 19.06 and an economy rate of 8.13.
Despite this, his last T20I for Pakistan came in September 2022 and it seems he has fallen behind other spinners like Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz on the pecking order.
Instead of talking a big game, the Lahore-born cricketer will let his actions speak for itself.
“I want to make a comeback in the Pakistan team but I need to improve my performance. There is no point in giving statements without performance,” he was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan. “I can only make a comeback in the side if I do well in domestic cricket and leagues.”
Qadir was not picked for Pakistan’s two-Test series against Sri Lanka or their three-match ODI series against Afghanistan.
He also didn’t make the cut for the Asia Cup, where the men in green beat Nepal by 238 runs, shared one point apiece with India after their match was ruined by rain, and cruised past Bangladesh by seven wickets.
However, their unbeaten streak was halted by India, who smashed them by 228 runs in the Super Four stage.
Pakistan still had the chance to make it to the Asia Cup final, but could not get the job done as they lost to Sri Lanka by two wickets via the Duckworth–Lewis–Stern method (DLS) method.
Pakistan Squad for 2023 Asia Cup: Babar Azam (capt), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Saud Shakeel, Fakhar Zaman, Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Saud Shakeel, Salman Ali Agha, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Haris (wk), Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Shahnawaz Dahani, Zaman Khan.
Travelling reserve: Tayyab Tahir