My Goal is to Play for Australia at 2020 World T20, says Usman Qadir, Son of Abdul Qadir

Usman Qadir, the son of former legendary Pakistan spinner, Abdul Qadir has got the backing of his father of harbouring hopes of representing Australia in the future. He has turned his back on Pakistan because Usman feels politics has manifest the cricket in the country.

The 25-year-old burst onto the Australian domestic circuit on Wednesday after bagging 3/50 in his debut match for Western Australia. His efforts helped the Warriors thrash Victoria by six wickets in their JLT Cup match at Junction Oval.

Three wickets on #JLTCup debut for WA's Usman Qadir!

The Vics have been bowled out for 200 in the 46th over. Scorecard: https://t.co/1SdBfpIfTY pic.twitter.com/OUAIftBjt0

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) September 26, 2018

Like his father, Usman Qadir is also a traditional leg-spinner. In his debut match, he used the googlies to good effect and got plenty of purchase from the surface. Qadir earlier played first-class cricket in Pakistan where he had a modest record. Qadir then moved to Australia in 2016 and played grade cricket in Sydney last summer.

Usman Qadir said his father Abdul Qadir had supported him in his decision

Usman Qadir had ambitions earlier to play for Pakistan, the country his father represented. However, it didn’t quite pan out, as he felt politics highly infected the running of the sport in Pakistan. Usman was also signed as a replacement in the Big Bash League with the Perth Scorchers. He is also eying a move to Western Australia to play grade cricket in Sydney.

The spinner is hopeful of the fact that just like Fawad Ahmed, he will also follow in his footsteps for getting the Australian citizenship. His immediate goal is to get the citizenship and represent Australia in the 2020 T20 World Cup.

Usman Qadir will never play for Pakistan

“No more Pakistan. I want to play for Australia definitely, 100 per cent. Because I did not get any chances in Pakistan,” Qadir said after WA’s win on Wednesday.

“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 Qadir added.

However, Abdul Qadir bagged 236 wickets for Pakistan and is considered one of the greatest wrist spinners in the history of cricket. Abdul Qadir was also the chief selectors of the last decade for Pakistan. He had also spent a season playing with Carlton around 20 years ago where he dominated for yet another time.

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Meanwhile, Usman Qadir has said his father has backed his decision of representing Australia.

“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 Qadir said.