Son-of-a-Pakistani gun Usman Qadir has shown his potential in his first match in Australian colours for the Prime Minister's XI against South Africa.
Qadir, the son of fellow-legspinner Abdul, claimed 3-28 from his 10 overs as the hosts skittled the Proteas for just 173 in their tour match in Canberra on Wednesday.
On the radar: Usman Qadir aims to attain citizenship to represent the national team in 2020.Credit:AAP
Playing in his first season of the Sheffield Shield for Western Australia, Pakistan-born Qadir is not yet eligible to play for Australia but has aspirations to in the future.
Two of Qadir's wickets came with wrong'uns, the first coming back through the gap between bat and pad of a driving Dwaine Pretorius to bowl him for three.
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He then cleaned up the tail to have Lungi Ngidi stumped and Imran Tahir lbw with another ball that went the other way.
Now aged 25, Qadir was first invited to play in Australia when in the country playing in the under-19s World Cup, before he returned to feature in Adelaide grade cricket the following year.
He then moved back to play in Pakistan, but returned to take 36 wickets in six Sydney grade cricket matches last season before making his domestic debut for the Warriors this summer.
It comes after his father Abdul took 236 wickets in 67 matches for Pakistan between 1977 and 1990.
In the country on a temporary activity visa, Qadir will apply for a distinguished talent visa to say in Australia before aiming to attain citizenship to represent the national team in 2020.
Such a move would follow in the footsteps of Fawad Ahmed, the Pakistan-born legspinner who has played five short-form games for Australia since gaining citizenship in 2013.
AAP
