I've always wanted to emulate Pakistan great Abdul Qadir: Imran Tahir

South African leg-spinner Imran Tahir has attributed his success in international cricket to Pakistan spin bowling legend Abdul Qadir. Tahir, who made his debut for South Africa, his adopted country, against West Indies in the 2011 World Cup, has grown in stature of late and is a regular in the shorter formats in particular. The Lahore-born Tahir finished the recent World Cup as South Africa’s second most successful bowler with 15 wickets to his name.

Talking about the impact of Qadir on his cricket, Tahir said, "Abdul Qadir is a genius, a legend, and the best according to me. I always wanted to be like him on the field. I am close to his family and I asked him for tips to improve my bowling and about his experiences.

“He gave me advice which I will never forget. The advice from him really helped me. Obviously, I cannot be like him because he was naturally gifted and I had to work hard on my skills.

“I always admired Qadir for his brilliant bowling and has now learnt a lot from him,” he added.

On a lighter note, when asked about his tendency to celebrate jubilantly every time he takes a wicket, he said: "I think this has always been inside me. The celebration just comes naturally. I don't sit in my room and decide how I'm going to celebrate. It is spontaneous and something that cannot be explained. It is just the love I have for the game. It's just the passion.”

With South Africa having some important assignments in the subcontinent in the near future, with a series against Bangladesh in July being most likely followed by one against India, Tahir undoubtedly has an important role to play for the Proteas.