Veteran South Africa spinner Imran Tahir said that his dream to represent Pakistan at the international level remained unfulfilled despite putting in consistent performances at different levels.
The 43-year-old Lahore-born tweaker stated that despite not being picked to play for Pakistan, he didn’t lose courage and kept moving forward.
Tahir narrated his story during a lecture as the Bahawalpur Royals’ mentor in the ongoing edition of the Pakistan Junior League (PJL).
“I’ve never lost courage in my life. I have done packing jobs at shops. No one would call me to bowl. At trials, I was asked who had sent me. I have successfully played at every level in Pakistan, but the dream to represent the country didn’t come true,” Tahir was quoted as saying.
He also thanked South Africa cricket for giving him the platform to perform. Tahir made his Test and ODI debut back in 2011, after which he played in T20Is in 2013.
“I am thankful to South Africa for giving me the opportunity. I was finding a chance and benefitted from it when it was given to me,” he stated.
“I would advise cricketers never to lose courage and look for opportunities. I am an example for the world and have been playing cricket for the last 22 years,” Tahir added.
For South Africa, Tahir played 165 matches in which he picked up 293 wickets with 10 four-wicket hauls and seven five-wicket hauls.
