Imran Tahir, took time out ahead of the match against Mumbai Indians on Tuesday, to tell this correspondent about his childhood heroes, watching Pakistan lift the World Cup in 1992 and more.
Ashish Nehra, Dwayne Bravo and Lasith Malinga have overtaken you in the Purple Cap race. Does that charge you up further?
That’s definitely somewhere in my mind. But more importantly, I would like the team to keep winning. Our graph is going up and down. Two victories in a row can give us good confidence. But I’ll challenge my opponents in the games I play. I don’t care who is on top, second or third, I want the cap back in my head.
What are your thoughts on JP Duminy – the leader?
It is easy to play with him because I have known him for five years now. He is a wonderful guy, I’m not saying this because he is my captain now (laughs). I’ve a good relationship with him. He adapted quickly to leadership. You will never see him under pressure.
Were you one of those kids in Lahore who got hooked to cricket after Pakistan, under Imran Khan, won the World Cup in 1992?
Yes I was. But my hero was Abdul Qadir. He suited me more. I wanted be like him, try different things with the ball. Pakistan winning the World Cup was a nice feeling. I was born there, so I wanted to play for Pakistan.
Did you follow South Africa in the same World Cup (1992)? They stunned everyone.
Yes, they were unlucky. The rain rule came and it started from there. We all know the 22 off 1 ball story.
You must be friends with a lot of Pakistan cricketers who are your age now, isn’t it?
I’ve played with most of them. All the guys who are playing now, and even before. If I didn’t play with them, I’ve played against them.
Shahid Afridi should be your contemporary…
Yes, of course.
What changed in you as a cricketer after you moved to South Africa from Pakistan?
I became tougher. I enjoy life now. I’ve had to cross many hurdles earlier. I’m grateful to Cricket South Africa and the people there who have loved me, embraced me. They helped me complete my achievements. I was new in the country but never felt so. It is a loving country.
Tell us about the obstacles you faced in the past.
Moving from Pakistan wasn’t easy. But the hardest thing that happened to me was losing my parents. Even now, everyday I remember them. I lost my mother in 2011 when I was just picked for the World Cup. She passed away a month before the tournament and could not see me play. If I could deal with that pain, nothing in life is difficult.
Then my wife, Sumayya, came into my life. She is my biggest fan. She (a South African of Indian descent) chose me as her life-partner, that wasn’t an easy decision for her but she had the trust in me. My wife made me more down to earth.
I just need to be grateful to Allah for being lucky because there are millions of people in this world who are deprived of basic food and shelter. Wherever I am, I can eat and drink water. I’ve been trying to make people smile with my performance.
Your on-field celebration reflects that…
That is natural. I don’t do that for people (laughs).
How difficult was it to switch the mood and be all happy and smiling in 10 days (in the IPL) post the semifinal loss to New Zealand?
It was one of those heartbreaks. I was lucky that my wife and kid was there. Even with their support, I could not come out of the shock. I was on bed for two days. Our flight was three days after that match. I wish I could show you the photographs of the changing room that night. It was bad.
It was indeed tough to see AB de Villiers crying, along with all of you.
The guys know the kind of sacrifices they made, their families made. So it was not only their hope, but also hopes of millions apart from the near and dear ones who thought South Africa would make it this time. A World Cup comes in four years and you never know who is going to be there in the next one.
When you met Shane Warne, what did he tell you about your bowling?
More than the tips, what touched me is that he came down from London to Hampshire to watch me bowl for half-an-hour. He is a busy man, not a 9-5 job guy. The best thing was that he did not ask me to change my bowling action.
But talking about tips, I am more close to Qadir because I can anytime go to Pakistan and meet him. I meet Warne only in big occasions and major tournaments when he is present as a commentator. But I’m lucky to meet these two great leg-spinners in my life.
Any special plans against the Mumbai Indians on Tuesday?
There is no special plan. Mumbai has been playing good cricket. They come back quickly from bad patches, but since we beat them in the first leg, we’ve an edge. I will be more energetic. Sadly, I cannot run out of the stadium celebrating because there will be security (laughs).
