“Playing for CSK, one of the best franchises in the world, I’ve to show people how much I love and respect this team.”
― Imran Tahir
“In professional cricket, everybody wants to win.”
― Imran Tahir
“It’s always beneficial taking advice from Dhoni.”
― Imran Tahir
“I don’t want to retire – I love the game and have a lot of respect and passion for the game.”
― Imran Tahir
“Playing with MSD, getting his advice and learning a lot from him, and I am really, really happy to be part of CSK.”
― Imran Tahir
“My wife and kid always support me.”
― Imran Tahir
“I have always wanted to play in the World Cup.”
― Imran Tahir
“I think I have the ability and can play a role in T20 cricket for South Africa.”
― Imran Tahir
“I don’t take anything for granted.”
― Imran Tahir
“Whenever I am playing, I try to contribute to my team.”
― Imran Tahir
“I think I feel good as a South African player that people say that we always get into semifinal and lose… this is one of the biggest achievements to get into semifinal. Not many teams do that. For me, it’s a real achievement.”
― Imran Tahir
“Leg spinners can change the game.”
― Imran Tahir
“The off spinner’s job is to contain; for me, leg spinners need to have a bigger heart than anyone else because it is easy to blame them.”
― Imran Tahir
“I am enjoying the experience of working with Mishra. For me, he is a world-class spinner.”
― Imran Tahir
“I have bowled with another leg-spinner in county cricket – Shahid Afridi. But he is a totally different bowler than Mishra. I have a lot of respect for Mishra.”
― Imran Tahir
“Losses are always hard to swallow, and every sportsperson has the same feeling.”
― Imran Tahir
“I’ve played all over the world. I’ve played in England, South Africa, Pakistan.”
― Imran Tahir
“You have to just adjust to the conditions quickly because there is a big difference in 50-over and 20-over cricket, and if you back yourself, you will do well.”
― Imran Tahir
“If I want to hide myself from my limitations, then I don’t want to play this game.”
― Imran Tahir
“One needs to have variations. You won’t survive if you don’t have one – especially playing in India, as they are good players of spin.”
― Imran Tahir
“According to me, a leg-spinner is such a character who, on his day, can win the match for you if he is bowling well and has the support of the captain and the coach.”
― Imran Tahir
“For me, what is important is, as a legspinner, you need determination, especially in modern-day cricket. You need to feel that you can change a game.”
― Imran Tahir
“Legspinners are exciting characters.”
― Imran Tahir
“Abdul Qadir was my main role model. I just wanted to be like him because, for me, he was only guy who no one could read. He was that good. His passion, his love for legspin, was unique. He would create new things all the time: flippers, sliders, three to four kinds of googlies, legspinners, topspinners.”
― Imran Tahir
“The googly and the slider are my favourite type of deliveries, and I love it when batsmen try to cut or sweep me and, while attempting those strokes, get lbw or clean bowled.”
― Imran Tahir
“People think of me as well-travelled, but I had not been out of Pakistan until I was picked in the Under-19 squad in 1997. The flight went from Lahore to Karachi and then from Karachi to South Africa. It was my first time on a plane and my first trip overseas.”
― Imran Tahir
“My wife is a beautician, but the first time I did something to my hair was not through her.”
― Imran Tahir
“In 2004 in England, there was one catch that was very special to me. I was bowling in a league match, and the batsman hit the ball over my head. I had to run back to between mid-off and mid-on to take the catch, and I did.”
― Imran Tahir
“I am the kind of person who will give his best every single time. I cannot underperform unless I’m playing with kids. Actually, I’d probably still get angry if they try to hit me!”
― Imran Tahir
“One of my dreams was to win the World Cup.”
― Imran Tahir
“I don’t want to just keep playing for the sake of playing. The day I realise I’m not good enough, I’ll go. I want to play as long as I can – not just to make up the numbers but to play with utmost passion.”
― Imran Tahir
“I lost my parents, which is the toughest thing to overcome.”
― Imran Tahir
“South Africa is now my country.”
― Imran Tahir
“My biggest ambition, ever since I was a boy in Pakistan, has been to play cricket at the highest level. If I can do so for South Africa, I’ll give everything.”
― Imran Tahir
“I have learnt that patience is important: patience when you bowl and also in how you handle life.”
― Imran Tahir
“I believe one should work hard to get what you want.”
― Imran Tahir
“When someone attacks you, there is always an opportunity, and that’s what I look for.”
― Imran Tahir
“It is a big challenge as a spinner to play modern day cricket, where you have to have five players in the circle.”
― Imran Tahir
“Thanks to technology, you can sit and see the opposition’s mistakes and try to learn from them.”
― Imran Tahir
“I always love challenges, and when I bowl, I always look to get wickets.”
― Imran Tahir
“I always come on the ground with a smile on the face, but inside, I’m always ready to fight and try to give as much as I can.”
― Imran Tahir
“My job, if someone picks me, is to come and perform. That’s what we do for a living.”
― Imran Tahir
“I’m always looking for new and exciting opportunities.”
― Imran Tahir
“I wouldn’t want to overstay in the team for too long. I want to leave with respect.”
― Imran Tahir
“I’ve been working really hard on my fitness.”
― Imran Tahir
“I always try to help spinners as much as I can wherever I go and play, anywhere in the world.”
― Imran Tahir
“I love to talk about bowling, and whoever comes for hel,p I’m always there. Even in IPL, PSL, I try to help the youngsters as much as I can.”
― Imran Tahir
“I have always been an attacking bowler, but I am trying my best to learn every day.”
― Imran Tahir
“Spinners have a main role, whether in the IPL or world cricket. But it’s hard to be a legspinner: you have to be accurate.”
― Imran Tahir
“I just like challenge. I had a lot of them in my life, and then when it comes to that, I think I can be ready for anything, really.”
― Imran Tahir
“I’m just really honoured to play for South Africa. Just to be part of this team is a special feeling.”
― Imran Tahir
“When you always walk into the middle with green and gold, I just want to take 10 wickets every game.”
― Imran Tahir
“I always dreamt that, but I never thought I will be here one day playing my 100th game for South Africa. It’s an absolute honour and privilege, being given the opportunity by the lovely people from South Africa.”
― Imran Tahir
“I’m the guy who come through a lot of hard patches. I’ve seen a lot of hardships.”
― Imran Tahir
“I lost my parents without them seeing me play international cricket.”
― Imran Tahir
“There is always a pressure if you play every game and especially when you are representing your country.”
― Imran Tahir
“I am an attacking bowler, but I can change my plan and go however the team wants me to go.”
― Imran Tahir
“Playing with Morne Morkel and Dale Steyn, I am a very lucky guy. Not many people are going to attack those two, which means the batsmen will attack me. And if they attack me, there is always a chance I can get a wicket.”
― Imran Tahir
“I love to help kids, especially spinners, in South Africa. You won’t see many guys bowling legspin, so I want to try to see if I can develop another Imran Tahir.”
― Imran Tahir
“Whenever I have time, I do my fitness. I go running on my own on Sundays or on Eid. I’d rather gym every day than go watch movies.”
― Imran Tahir
“It’s every cricketer’s dream to play in the World Cup.”
― Imran Tahir
“It’s always tough for a spinner to bowl against India.”
― Imran Tahir
“I have always been an attacking bowler. I am more than happy to go for a few runs and get a few wickets.”
― Imran Tahir
“I will bowl defensively if I have to.”
― Imran Tahir
“I always believe I will take wickets.”
― Imran Tahir
“The wickets in England are very helpful to me.”
― Imran Tahir
“The start of the English county season – from April to mid-May when it’s cold – is the same as South Africa because it seams and swings. After that, the ball starts spinning nicely, and that’s when I get my wickets.”
― Imran Tahir
“It’s always nice to be in England – I love it here.”
― Imran Tahir
“Hampshire were the club who gave me my first chance, so I owe them a lot.”
― Imran Tahir
“I am more South African than Pakistani now. It’s a great country, and I have met so many nice people.”
― Imran Tahir
“Playing for South Africa is an absolute honour, and I don’t feel like I need to relax. Every game I take more than seriously.”
― Imran Tahir
“Its strong management that makes players feel comfortable.”
― Imran Tahir
“It’s the nature of a human that when you get neglected somewhere, you want to go back and prove a point.”
― Imran Tahir
“I can’t see myself playing anywhere else in the world. You don’t know how much I want to play international cricket for South Africa.”
― Imran Tahir
“When I go to bed after playing a Test match, I want to feel that I gave 100%.”
― Imran Tahir
“I have a lot of respect, whatever format I play.”
― Imran Tahir
“I’ve been playing cricket for quite a long time all over the world, and all the situations I have been in have given me confidence.”
― Imran Tahir
“I want to be the guy the captain can trust.”
― Imran Tahir
“I don’t bowl for personal numbers.”
― Imran Tahir
“Fifty overs is a long time. It’s a good challenge, and you have enough time to show your skills.”
― Imran Tahir
“In T20, there’s a time shortage because you’ve got four overs. In one-day cricket, you relax, and the game goes long, and you only win the game in the last 10 or 15 overs.”
― Imran Tahir
“I have been bowling at the death sometimes. You need to focus. You know if you miss your target, you will go for a boundary, but it’s also good because it makes you a really good bowler. You practise hard, and you try to bowl in one area most of the time.”
― Imran Tahir
“I never look to contain. I always try and take wickets.”
― Imran Tahir
“Any spinner can change the game. It’s been proven in T20 cricket.”
― Imran Tahir
“You just need to go into matches with a clear plan in T20 cricket. If you go half-half, it’s going to be really hard to come back.”
― Imran Tahir
“For me, the most important thing is that the team should do well.”
― Imran Tahir
“If you look at me outside the cricket ground, I am a simple, normal guy, like everyone else. But on the field, that passion flows because I have been through a lot of tough times and have lost many special people.”
― Imran Tahir
“I will do what my team wants me to do and justify my place in the side.”
― Imran Tahir
“I don’t think it is difficult to balance professional sports with practising your faith. It is very easy if you follow the right path.”
― Imran Tahir
“I try not to miss my prayers and the 30 fasts in Ramazan, but even if I do miss them due to my cricket, I make up for them later on.”
― Imran Tahir
“If I get a wicket, I just want to show people that how big that is for me.”
― Imran Tahir
“If you go for wickets all the time, then you will go for runs as well because you will have to flight the ball and invite the batsmen to hit you.”
― Imran Tahir
“In T20, batsmen are always going after you, so a good policy is to bowl five-six dot balls in your first two-three overs so that pressure builds on the batsman, and he plays riskier shots.”
― Imran Tahir
“There are not too many leg-spinners in the world, and if you look closely, Mishra bhai will stand out as one of the best.”
― Imran Tahir
“One must always love passionately.”
― Imran Tahir
“I just like to enjoy my cricket.”
― Imran Tahir
“Moving to South Africa and trying to make a mark as a cricketer and then make it to the international team hasn’t been easy. This is why I want to enjoy every moment of it.”
― Imran Tahir
“All I do is work hard. Try and work on my bowling and keep improving every day. That’s the key to success at the international level and in tournaments like the IPL.”
― Imran Tahir
“I really can’t pinpoint why I celebrate the way I do. I just love it when I pick a wicket, and it comes naturally to me to express my joy in the manner that I do.”
― Imran Tahir
“The best players of the world play in the IPL, and to bowl to them in T20 cricket isn’t easy.”
― Imran Tahir
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