Former Test cricketer and Chief Selector Abdul Qadir is hopeful that he will be able to revive the art of leg-spin bowling in Pakistan. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to overhaul club cricket in the country and Abdul Qadir has been appointed as the project coordinator. He will be assisted by some of the legends of the game, like Sarfraz Nawaz and Mohsin Hasan Khan who is also the present PCB selection committee chairman.
Abdul Qadir, who is considered as one of the greatest leg spinner, the world of cricket ever produced, claimed that leg spin is not an easy art to master. “Leg-spin bowling is rare and is one of the difficult departments. But I’m happy the talent is still alive in the country as we have Yasir Shah, Usman Qadir and many more in the domestic circuit,” he said.
Both Yasir Shah and Usman Qadir have emerged through the ranks of junior cricket in Pakistan and have represented the country at the under-19 level.
Yasir has been playing domestic cricket representing Abbottabad and Sui Northern Gas Pipelines. He has so far taken 146 wickets in 45 first-class matches at an average of 28.41 runs per wicket. The 17-year-old Usman is yet to make his first-class debut but he impressed the cricket analysts in the previous ICC Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand. Young Usman has a great advantage in shape of his family background because apart from his father, his three other brothers Rehman, Imran and Sulaman are also first-class cricketers.
Abdul Qadir vows to work hard with the spinners so that they can serve Pakistan cricket in future.
“I’ll ensure that they become better bowlers after the programme,” he added.
Pakistan has a history of producing high-class leg spinners as Abdul Qadir and Mushtaq Ahmed ruled the cricketing world in 1980s and 90s, whereas, Danish Kaneria and Imran Tahir emerged in late 90s and early 2000s.
However, Tahir moved to South Africa recently and now he is a permanent member of the South African team after performing well in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011.
