NEW DELHI – South African leg-spinner Imran Tahir enjoyed a four-wicket debut on Thursday, but his World Cup bow was almost shattered by a double warning for running on the pitch.
The 31-year-old Pakistan-born player helped send West Indies crashing to 222 all out in 47.3 overs in their Group B match at the Feroz Shah Kotla stadium with figures of 4-41. But Australian umpire Simon Taufel twice warned him about straying onto the pitch. A third warning would have seen him pulled out of the attack.
“I’m not comfortable bowling away from the stumps, but I’m working hard on it,” said Tahir “I want to get it right. I don’t want to get a third warning and not be able to bowl.”
Tahir, who was born in Lahore and has married a South African girl, dismissed Devon Smith, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Devon Thomas and Shivnarine Chanderpaul in his 10-over spell.
