Pakistan’s leg spin bowler Usman Qadir has refuted all the allegations suggesting he has gained substantial advantages from his strong bond and friendship with Pakistan cricket team captain Babar Azam.
On the contrary, he has asserted that this friendship has been more detrimental than beneficial. Usman firmly dismissed the notion that his presence in the Pakistan cricket team is solely due to his close association with Babar Azam.
Usman Qadir, who is aged 30 years old, is the son of the renowned Pakistan spinner Abdul Qadir. Usman has emphasized that it was the former captain and Pakistan cricket team coach Misbah-ul-Haq who brought him to the national team setup.
Since making his international debut in 2020, Usman has participated in a single One Day International (ODI) and 23 Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is), managing to secure a total of 30 wickets across different cricket formats.
Usman contended that had Babar shown him preferential treatment, he would have had a considerably higher number of international appearances.
“If the criticism revolves around the friendship between Babar and myself, then logically, I shouldn’t have faced exclusions from the team. Surprisingly, Babar’s friendship has caused me more harm than benefit, as it consistently elevated pressure on both of us,” Usman Qadir was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
Usman, whose most recent appearance for Pakistan dates back to September 2022, asserts that he hasn’t been provided with a continuous run to showcase his skills.
The upcoming schedule for Pakistan involves a three-match ODI series against Afghanistan in Sri Lanka, followed by their participation in the Asia Cup 2023, commencing on August 30th.
