Great opportunity for us to dominate New Zealand in our home conditions: Usman Qadir

The New Zealand team is all set to tour Pakistan for the first time in 18 years. The Pakistan leg-spinner Usman Qadir feels that this is a great opportunity for his team to dominate the Blackcaps unit. It is worth noting that a lot of senior members and regulars of the T20I and ODI team of New Zealand are not available for this tour. 

The tour will begin on September 17 with three ODI matches in Rawalpindi. After that, the two teams will play in five T20I matches, all of which will be played in Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium between September 25 and October 3. 

The tour presents an opportunity for players like Qadir to make an impression in front of the world stage and the selectors. The leg-spinner has not been picked in the main squad of 15 players for the T20 World Cup 2021. Instead, he has been named in the reserves. With the teams having an option till October 10 to make changes, Qadir might still get into the 15. 

I try to seek as much guidance from him as possible: Usman Qadir on Saqlain Mushtaq

“I got to bowl at the square on the first day of our training here, which was beneficial. The subsequent training sessions have also been of great help in our preparations. New Zealand has come to Pakistan after 18 years and it is a great opportunity for us to dominate them in our home conditions,” Usman told PCB digital.

Qadir has made quite a name for himself quite early in his international career. He has played 14 T20Is and has picked up 20 wickets at an average of 16.30. Pakistan team is currently filled with leg-spinners. Saqlain Mushtaq is the interim coach while there is Shadab Khan and Zahid Mahmood. 

“Saqlain bhai has a great deal of experience and I try to seek as much guidance from him as possible,” Usman said. “Shadab, Zahid, and I speak about matters that the leg-spinners have to deal with in terms of maintaining lines and lengths, and we often discuss them with Saqlain bhai,” Usman added. The leg-spinner has played only one ODI so far but would be looking to get some opportunities in this series.