Imran Tahir

[Kenny_Shovel]

Imran Tahir has signed for Yorkshire for the remainder of the season:

http://www.yorkshireccc.com/news/news26564671

Can anybody enlighten a Yorkshire supporter about this player? I must admit I'd never heard of him before!

[Sheikh]

Originally Posted by Kenny_Shovel Imran Tahir has signed for Yorkshire for the remainder of the season: http://www.yorkshireccc.com/news/news26564671 Can anybody enlighten a Yorkshire supporter about this player? I must admit I'd never heard of him before!

He's a 28year old leg-spinner whose been on the fringes for some time now. I'm actually surprised he hasn't been included in the Pakistan A probables. I suppose his time has come and gone.


http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/pakis...yer/40618.html

[iZeeshan]

Imran Tahir. He was a really good domestic player. Never got called up. Shame.

[Muhammad]

Had a brief and unsuccessful spell with Middlesex in 2003.

As an under 19 player for Pak he was a teammate of Razzaq, Nazir, Farhat etc.

[Mercenary]

Originally Posted by Kenny_Shovel Imran Tahir has signed for Yorkshire for the remainder of the season: http://www.yorkshireccc.com/news/news26564671 Can anybody enlighten a Yorkshire supporter about this player? I must admit I'd never heard of him before!

Imran Tahir is a legspinner who knows how to hold a bat (average of around 20 in limited overs games). He's been on the fringes of the Pakistan team for many years without getting a call up.

He was part of the youth squad that gave Pakistan players like Hasan Raza, Shoaib Malik, Abdur Razzaq, Yasir Arafat and Bazid Khan.

He's a very good bowler at domestic level but wasn't anything more than decent when given chances in the A team or National XI's.

He could prove a shrewd signing for Yorkshire.

[Saj]

A strange signing in my opinion Kenny considering you already have a certain Adil Rashid in your ranks.

[Kenny_Shovel]

Originally Posted by Saj A strange signing in my opinion Kenny considering you already have a certain Adil Rashid in your ranks.

A strange signing yes, but it wont be at the expence of Rashid.

Tahir seems to have been signed as we have a number of the games coming up where spin will play a big part. Last year Adil bowled well in tandom with our other young leggy Mark Lawson - who is unavailable at the moment due to "Personal reasons" - and they seem to want to go with 'spin-twins' again.

The signings not been welcomed with open arms by the supporters as we have another excellant young spin prospect in David Wainwright, who has been very impressive in ListA and 20/20 this year. It kind of plays into a general feeling that our youngsters arn't getting much of an opportunity this year. Adam Lyth for example, who been scoring plenty of runs for England U19 against the touring Pakistan U19 side, hasn't had a sniff of a chance at 1st team level.

[Kenny_Shovel]

Thanks for all the replies by the way; they back up and expand on what I'd already been able to find out.

[W63L35]

Imran Tahir is currently playing for Titans in South Africa and performing very well...!

His stats in the tournament (MTN Domestic Championship, 2007/08);

Player      Mat  Overs  Mdns Runs  Wkts BBI   Ave   Econ  SR  	4
Imran Tahir  8   54.5  	4    231   14  	4/16  16.50 4.21  23.5  1

Pretty high (#10) in the bowling stats;
http://stats.cricinfo.com/southafric...ype=tournament

In today's match;
http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/sout...ch/298912.html

Bowling 	O    M 	 R    W   Econ 	
Imran Tahir 	7    1 	 17   2   2.42

Plus Titans are leading the points table;
http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/sout...ew=pointstable



I hope, he gets a chance to play in Pakistan!

[dblock]

How did he perform at Yorkshire?

[W63L35]

Originally Posted by dblock How did he perform at Yorkshire?

He played only in one match (1st class) for Yorkshire. The reason may be that Younis Khan took his place as an overseas player and didn't get a chance to play. JN Gillespie was the other overseas player. With Adil Rashid (another leggie) already in Yorkshire ranks, it was difficult for Tahir to get any chances.

[dblock]

Originally Posted by W63L35 He played only in one match (1st class) for Yorkshire. The reason may be that Younis Khan took his place as an overseas player and didn't get a chance to play. JN Gillespie was the other overseas player. With Adil Rashid (another leggie) already in Yorkshire ranks, it was difficult for Tahir to get any chances.

I remember Inzi took Younis Khan's place

(and he didn't do half aswell as YK).

[Legendary_Sage]

Originally Posted by Mercenary Imran Tahir is a legspinner who knows how to hold a bat (average of around 20 in limited overs games). He's been on the fringes of the Pakistan team for many years without getting a call up. He was part of the youth squad that gave Pakistan players like Hasan Raza, Shoaib Malik, Abdur Razzaq, Yasir Arafat and Bazid Khan. He's a very good bowler at domestic level but wasn't anything more than decent when given chances in the A team or National XI's. He could prove a shrewd signing for Yorkshire.

well he played in south african league cricket and jacques Rudolph was very impressed with him... he got support from mushtaq as well which helped him getting a contract from the county...
well he is quicker through the air.... and a good bowler as well more like kumble ....

[Saj]

Hampshire have signed Pakistan A player Imran Tahir as their overseas player for the rest of the season.

The 29-year-old leg-spinner has previous county experience with Middlesex and Yorkshire.

Tahir has an excellent first-class record with the ball, taking 240 wickets at an average of 26.

Tahir's registration has been confirmed by the England and Wales Cricket Board and he is available for Sunday's Pro40 match at Nottinghamshire.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cric...re/7514678.stm

He's replacing Shane Bond.

I've never actually seen this lad bowl. For those that have, is he any good ?

[Saj]

Good start for Imran at Hampshire.

4 wickets on debut versus Lancashire

[Saj]

Another 4 wickets in the second innings for him already, thats 8 for the match.

http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/count...ch/319917.html

[sehsan]

Originally Posted by Saj Another 4 wickets in the second innings for him already, thats 8 for the match. http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/count...ch/319917.html

thats 9 saj bahi, he took 5 in first.

[Noddy]

Just spent the evening at dinner with Immi, Pothas and Brown.....

[Saj]

make that 11 for the match so far.

Looking at his stats :-

http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/count...yer/40618.html

He's taken 240 first class wickets in 66 wickets at an average of just over 26.

One that has slipped through the selectors "net" perhaps?

[JohnDTraynor]

He has taken 12 wickets in his current match

[Saj]

Originally Posted by Noddy Just spent the evening at dinner with Immi, Pothas and Brown.....

Noddy bhai. I dont know what he had to eat but whatever it was, its worked for him

[pakistanbest]

another talent being wasted, players like him need to be given a fair chance especially as he is an all rounder

[cornered paktiger]

I found this match report interesting ot least because it seems that Imran Tahir wants to play test cricket for.............South Africa!!!!!

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/spo...cle4489114.ece

[Boi]

Originally Posted by cornered paktiger I found this match report interesting ot least because it seems that Imran Tahir wants to play test cricket for.............South Africa!!!!! http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/spo...cle4489114.ece

Might aswell cos he aint gonna get chance for Pakistan and South Africa need a really good spinner!!

[kingusama92]

^^ Yea he probably won't get a chance in Pakistan... we have Usman Qadir for the future ...

[Boi]

I saw him bowl today and well he was very impressive got some turn and bounce from the wicket and he bagged himself a five wicket haul!! against Sussex in pro 40 match

He is another player wasted by PCB!!

[Awesome Anjum]

Imran Tahir has been a revelation this season for Hants, and has probably been their most incisive bowler in the second half of the season.

Just got Ramprakash out, clean bowled for 61 to finish with figures of 4-61.

[Wazeeri]

The guy has been performing for years for a dozen different clubs around the world,

Why no call up to PK when he is a Lahori?

[Kashif]

Originally Posted by Wazeeri The guy has been performing for years for a dozen different clubs around the world, Why no call up to PK when he is a Lahori?

He probably could not fork out the 2-3 Lakh rupee 'team reservation' for a spot in the A team, Under 19 team or local regional 11.

[Wazeeri]

With the lack of good spinners in the team I think someone with an average in the mid 20s deserves a call up.

[Awesome Anjum]

Originally Posted by Kashif He probably could not fork out the 2-3 Lakh rupee 'team reservation' for a spot in the A team

He has played 'A' team cricket.

[Taurus]

His figures were actually 4/29. He has 36 wickets @ 16 so far. Better than any other spinner around, I expect.

[Random Aussie]

Originally Posted by Augustus His figures were actually 4/29. He has 36 wickets @ 16 so far. Better than any other spinner around, I expect.

Does he want to come play for Australia? We have nice beaches

[pjkilla]

brilliant spell yesterday
quite spectacular

[usman_ash14]

Originally Posted by Random Aussie Does he want to come play for Australia? We have nice beaches

We will trade him for mitchelle johnson, what u say?

[Random Aussie]

Originally Posted by usman_ash14 We will trade him for mitchelle johnson, what u say?

Done :Evil

[pakistanbest]

another bowling sensation being wasted by pakistan

[usman_ash14]

Originally Posted by Random Aussie Done :Evil

imagine if their was trading system in place

but thats a fair deal for both teams...
we get an alrounder and a work horse that is bound to improve
and u get an off spinner who from what we've heard is good enough to wlk in ur team

[Jahangir Khan]

Regarding Imran Tahir. It's worth noting that he is married to a South African woman is settled in South Africa and wants to play Test Cricket for......... South Africa.

I suppose he felt chances would be limited with Kaneria and Afridi around so I guess South Africa is his best chance of playing Test Cricket. I think he will qualify pretty soon.

[12thMan]

Tahir going back tp South Africa

Hampshire will be without overseas spinner Imran Tahir for their crucial final County Championship match against Nottinghamshire on Wednesday.

Tahir has a contract with South African side Titans who want him back for the start of their season.

"He's done a great job. He's been the catalyst to all our positive results," Hampshire's acting manager Giles White told BBC Radio Solent.

Tahir has taken 36 wickets in just six Championship matches.

White added: "I'm disappointed. Titans allowed him to play for us which has been great but unfortunately part of the deal was he'd have to return after the Surrey game. He's been fantastic over the last couple of months."


http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cric...re/7616417.stm

[Mian Hassan]

Hampshire will be without overseas spinner Imran Tahir for their crucial final County Championship match against Nottinghamshire on Wednesday.

Tahir has a contract with South African side Titans who want him back for the start of their season.

"He's done a great job. He's been the catalyst to all our positive results," Hampshire's acting manager Giles White told BBC Radio Solent.

Tahir has taken 36 wickets in just six Championship matches.

White added: "I'm disappointed. Titans allowed him to play for us which has been great but unfortunately part of the deal was he'd have to return after the Surrey game. He's been fantastic over the last couple of months."

[Mian Hassan]

I personal think he was great for the matches he played i really enjoyed watching him play!!!!!!

[Pak_mystery]

Great news,looking forward to watching him play here,i hope he carries on his great form and i hope pakistan selectors are watching his performance..

[12thMan]

Originally Posted by Pak_mystery Great news,looking forward to watching him play here,i hope he carries on his great form and i hope pakistan selectors are watching his performance..

If they watch it or not he is in South Africa and better off looking for a spot in that team. Anyway I am sure Pakistan has decent spinners who play domestic cricket and deserve a chance above him. He can come to Paksitan and spend a year or two but that is too risky. South Africa should be his target

[Pak_mystery]

Originally Posted by 12thMan If they watch it or not he is in South Africa and better off looking for a spot in that team. Anyway I am sure Pakistan has decent spinners who play domestic cricket and deserve a chance above him. He can come to Paksitan and spend a year or two but that is too risky. South Africa should be his target

i think you right there.. And since SA dont realy have any world class spiners he might as well wanna try to make a place in the team here...

[12thMan]

When news of Imran Tahir staying at Hampshire for 2 more years makes main page of the South East section of BBC then it only means there is no cricket going on. They are digging and digging and came up with this as there is no other sport there

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cric...re/7633322.stm

[Awesome Anjum]

Tahir takes 4 wickets in the first inns.

[Taurus]

Watched him today (not out of interest but because I'm a Nottinghamshire supporter). He bowled terribly to the proper batsmen and Samit Patel in particular gave him a real battering, but once he had the comfort of poorer batsmen to bowl at he made a mockery of them. In short, he bowled a lot of long-hops and full-tosses and looked distinctly short of Test class at a time when he was bowling to good players with in/out fields. With attacking fielders and poorer batsmen, he did weave a bit of magic. It seems like a decent pitch for spin, but he didn't really make enough of it at first. It told me that it's very easy to hype someone up based on good figures. As it was today he's certainly not a better option than Danish Kaneria, though he might simply have had a poor day.

He came out of it with good figures, at least, but his wickets were all tail-enders; Swann, Ealham, Adams and Pattinson. I shall reserve a comprehensive judgement until I see him bowl again in the fourth innings.

[Awesome Anjum]

Originally Posted by Augustus He came out of it with good figures, at least, but his wickets were all tail-enders; Swann, Ealham, Adams and Pattinson. I shall reserve a comprehensive judgement until I see him bowl again in the fourth innings.

Thanks for letting us know, though its a bit harsh to call Swann, Ealham and Adams genuine tail -enders

[Xoib]

Watching it live on Star Cricket.

Not impressed, has a Shane Warne like action but of course noway near that class. Too many long hops and full tosses and doesn't have any great deal of variety, good test batsmen will hammer him if this is the norm and even though I am no supporter of Kaneria but if I have to compare then I will agree with Augustus and say that Danesh is still the better option.

[swaziboy]

Tahir to play for Proteas?
2008-09-25 22:
sports24.co.za

Johannesburg - A great cricket season awaits Imran Tahir.

It is no secret that Mickey Arthur, coach of the South African team, is eager to involve the 29-year-old Titans leg spinner in the national set-up.

It sounds increasingly likely that Tahir will join Graeme Smith's (captain) squad as soon as he qualifies to play for South Africa.

Tahir will be able to play for South Africa only from next year, but is already available as a local player for the Titans.

“This is outstanding news for us," said Elise Lombard, CEO of the Titans.

The reason Tahir can't play for South Africa before next year is that four years have to elapse between his last match for Pakistan's A team and his first match for his new country.

The Titans are full of praise for Tahir. Apparently only a few batsmen are able to read his googly.

He has the ability to place the ball, which as a leg spinner he delivers at high speed, on the proverbial tickey.

Tahir, who is married to a South African, is still playing for his English county, Hampshire, but will be in South Africa next week for the Titans' first SuperSport match against the Dolphins in Durban.

He started playing for the Titans towards the end of the season before last and made a big impact last season. He and all-rounder Roelof van der Merwe were the Titans' big heroes.

He has also played a significant part in Hampshire's success this season.

Since taking over the role of spinner from Shane Warne, he has knocked over 36 wickets in six first-class matches.

The great advantage for the Titans is that Tahir is now a local player. This means they have to pick only three black players to complete their quota of four.

Tahir will also be one of the Titans' key players in the Champions' League tournament, which will be played in India from 3 to 10 December.

The tournament, in which eight teams compete, is the richest provincial tournament in the world. The Titans and Dolphins will represent South Africa.

The other participating teams are the Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings (India), Victoria Bushrangers and the West Australian Warriors (Australia), Middlesex (Engeland) and Pakistan's champion, which will be crowned next month.

There is R50m on offer as prize money. The winner gets R26m and the runner-up just over R8m.

Even if the Titans were to win none of their games, they would still earn more money than they received as the winners of last season's local ODI and Pro20 series.

Each team will receive about R2 million just for participating in the tournament.

[swaziboy]

sounds like history in the making here

all the best to this lad

[kingusama92]

he's not that great of a bowler... he;s ok for first class cricket.. he will get owned in international cricket...

[Rana]

Originally Posted by kingusama92 he's not that great of a bowler... he;s ok for first class cricket.. he will get owned in international cricket...

What are you talking about, hes a wrist spinner with all the variaties and they are very rare to find in first class cricket, especialy the good quality ones!

He is pretty damn useful and i assure you he is better than most leg spinners right now in the world! by that i mean if i had a choice of...
Chawla, Kaneria, and Tahir, i would choose him, he has a that sort of flare about him!

[kingusama92]

Originally Posted by Rana What are you talking about, hes a wrist spinner with all the variaties and they are very rare to find in first class cricket, especialy the good quality ones! He is pretty damn useful and i assure you he is better than most leg spinners right now in the world!

being a wrist spinner doesn't make you a shane warne all of a sudden... just look at the Aussies they have found Mcgain as their leggie for the upcoming India tour... does that make him good quality not really it's just that the Aussies can't find anyone ... and the same goes for the Saffers who can't find anyone so they are using Tahir as a replacement.

No doubt Tahir has been excellent this county season... probably one of the better bowlers ... but having seen a bit of him ... he is not good enough to play international cricket... he seems to get flayed by good quality batsman and he tends to pick up wickets of lower order batsman to pad his stats... but still in one way i agree with you since the South Africans don't have any good leggies i guess they might as well try him out...

[Rana]

Originally Posted by kingusama92 being a wrist spinner doesn't make you a shane warne all of a sudden... just look at the Aussies they have found Mcgain as their leggie for the upcoming India tour... does that make him good quality not really it's just that the Aussies can't find anyone ... and the same goes for the Saffers who can't find anyone so they are using Tahir as a replacement. No doubt Tahir has been excellent this county season... probably one of the better bowlers ... but having seen a bit of him ... he is not good enough to play international cricket... he seems to get flayed by good quality batsman and he tends to pick up wickets of lower order batsman to pad his stats... but still in one way i agree with you since the South Africans don't have any good leggies i guess they might as well try him out...

i guess you might be correct, but then again the fact is that a good quality wrist spinner is probably the hardest to find in cricket, by the looks of it, tahir has control and variation, he is definetly international class in my views and the great thing is, he can also bat a fair bit!

[kingusama92]

It will definitely be interesting to see how he fares when he gets the call to play for South Africa...

[Rana]

He is a Pakistani though, i mean he has a pakistani passport. I think This might cause a problem!

[Oxy]

Originally Posted by Rana He is a Pakistani though, i mean he has a pakistani passport. I think This might cause a problem!

He is as South African as Pieterson is English...and look at him now.

Once you've qualifed - it doesnt really matter.

Good luck to him in SA

[12thMan]

He is South African from what I understand and good luck to him there. He has a better chance there then anywhere else

[Random Aussie]

Gotta be a better bet than Paul Harris anyway

[usman_ash14]

Originally Posted by Random Aussie Gotta be a better bet than Paul Harris anyway

Sorry man Saffers took them away
we were too slow with our johnson - tahir trade

[Lahoria]

That's the bottom line, if SA side has one missing piece it is a quality spinner and if Tahir can provide them some quality spells SA might become the best team in the world.

[Rana]

Originally Posted by Lahoria That's the bottom line, if SA side has one missing piece it is a quality spinner and if Tahir can provide them some quality spells SA might become the best team in the world.

But thue question is, is pcb gonna snap him up before he even plays for RSA?

[Lahoria]

There is no reason for Pakistan to go after him, the selectors have seen him over the years and they obviously weren't impressed. I doubt he would play for Pakistan now even if PCB recalled him to the national squad, he would probably have a much better chance of holding his spot in SA lineup than Paksitan.

[Rana]

Originally Posted by Lahoria There is no reason for Pakistan to go after him, the selectors have seen him over the years and they obviously weren't impressed. I doubt he would play for Pakistan now even if PCB recalled him to the national squad, he would probably have a much better chance of holding his spot in SA lineup than Paksitan.

This is basically the whole problem, when he was a young man trying to break into the pakistani side nobody cared, now that he has been spotted by the saffies, i bet there is going to be some dispute over him.

[Pak_mystery]

Well thats wonderful news,atleast i would love to see him play alongside hashim amla...pakistan never appriciate him. I realy hope he plays for SA. and since SA dont realy have quality spinners he might be the best option to go for if they wana make their spinning department stronger.. Good luck to him... Cant wait for the SA season to start,would love to c him in action live.

[Kashif]

Good for Tahir and I wish him all the best. Early days but SA might get the missing quality wrist spinner they currently lack.

[Xoib]

Originally Posted by Kashif Good for Tahir and I wish him all the best. Early days but SA might get the missing quality wrist spinner they currently lack.

Saw him bowl yesterday and he is not test class

[Random Aussie]

Originally Posted by Xoib Saw him bowl yesterday and he is not test class

Out of interest would you consider Paul Harris test class?

[PlanetPakistan]

Originally Posted by Random Aussie Out of interest would you consider Paul Harris test class?

think he is slightly inferior than Sehwag(the bowler)

[Xoib]

Originally Posted by Random Aussie Out of interest would you consider Paul Harris test class?

Nahi.

[Random Aussie]

Originally Posted by Xoib Nahi.

Well Tahir only has to better than Harris it would seem.

Obviously it would be a lot harder for him to crack a Pakistan rep side that South African side as a wrist spinner.

Pakistan has heaps of wrist spinners, Saffers have almost zero wrist or finger spinners.

[Lahoria]

Thanks Aussie for being the voice of reason, I don't know why ppl are excited about this fellow who would have never made the Pakistani team. He is probably a bit better than Paul Harris and that is good enough for SA so good luck to him.


Btw I wonder if Australia would go the same route and import an overseas spinner from Pak or India

[Random Aussie]

Originally Posted by Lahoria Thanks Aussie for being the voice of reason, I don't know why ppl are excited about this fellow who would have never made the Pakistani team. He is probably a bit better than Paul Harris and that is good enough for SA so good luck to him. Btw I wonder if Australia would go the same route and import an overseas spinner from Pak or India

Unlikely. We have a pretty structured system. We would be more likely to put resources in to talent camps and academies for the Oz kids.

It is however pretty likely that in a few years or a decade we might have Australian born players of Indian or Pak heritage playing for Australia.

Usman Kwaja (sp?) has made the NSW team (Pakistan heritage I believe)

There has been a lot of migration over the past decade and as the children of those migrants from cricket mad countries grow up....

[Kashif]

Originally Posted by Xoib Saw him bowl yesterday and he is not test class

And where did I say he is currently of 'test class'?


As Random Aussie has stated, he just needs to be better than the current SA spinner, Paul Harris to get selected for SA.

[Rana]

Originally Posted by Random Aussie Well Tahir only has to better than Harris it would seem. Obviously it would be a lot harder for him to crack a Pakistan rep side that South African side as a wrist spinner. Pakistan has heaps of wrist spinners, Saffers have almost zero wrist or finger spinners.

He is better than Harris no doubt, he is better than Chawla, Schofield, Yardy, PANESAR, Patel and Adil Rashid in my opinion.

[Keith]

But harris has got blonde hair!!

Puts me in an awkward position now though. I don't see Pieterson as an englishman, so if i see Tahir as a saffer then i would be a hippocrate. Maybe i can say that he has a south african wife, will that make it ok?

Jokes aside, we need a "quality spinner", the likes of harris gets too excited when it does actually turn.

[Ghoshtbuster]

His record seems pretty good, and he will surely be a class above anything South Africa can produce. But I would struggle to believe he is better than Kaneria or Afridi, not to mention any other young spinners in First class/ U-19 level.

[Awesome Anjum]

Source - http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1193453

KARACHI: Imran Tahir might not be a name to reckon with in Pakistan but the leg spinner has become a household name in England and South Africa and is now eyeing the South African national team. The 29-year old decided to try his luck abroad after he was consistently neglected by the selectors despite his solid and consistent performances at the domestic level for the last eight years in Pakistan. Tahir has an impressive tally of 276 first class wickets in 72 matches and 74 in list A matches and his leg spin has now made him perhaps the only Pakistani cricketer to have contracts with two different foreign first class teams at the same time. Tahir recently inked a two-year deal with English county, Hampshire and also plays for the Titans team in South Africa after impressive performances for them. Although he made it to the Pakistan 'A' team, he has never been called up for the national side even though in one season he took 100 wickets, something which was obviously too much for him to handle. "I don't want to blame anybody because I wanted to play international cricket. I felt there was no chance for me to do that in Pakistan so I had to decide to do something in my life as I am a professional cricketer at the end of the day," Tahir told Geo News from England. Tahir is now looking to play for South Africa. "Look I have got married to a South African ... it is a very sad thing for me that I am not playing for Pakistan. Pakistan gave me the name as all my life I played there but last two seasons were obviously very disappointing for me," Tahir said. "It was frustrating I have never been in contention for a place in the Pakistan camp, and I don't want to say anything about it. I just felt there was no respect for me, as simple as that. I had to decide, my wife wanted me to play in South Africa, and I am gonna play there and obviously try to get a place in the international side if I can," he said. Tahir said the procedure for getting South African citizenship is very long but he is confident it will be sorted out this year. "So one of these years I will be eligible for my residency and then I will wait for the South African Board to call me up. If that happens that would be great and I am gonna do 100 per cent for South Africa because at the end of the day they are the people who will give me the chance. Being a Muslim, I will do as I am told in Islam that wherever I will get to play, I will try to give my best for them and do something special for them," he said. Tahir comes from a humble background and his Pakistan "A" team manager, Abdul Raquib believes economic issues also forced Tahir to look outside Pakistan. "No doubt he is a good bowler and I recommended him to the Board. But he has to care for six years and he had to look elsewhere," Raquib said. Test player Hasan Raza, who is banned for his Indian Cricket League connections, said it was sad that talented players like Tahir are leaving and felt the issue needs to be discussed as it was a lose to Pakistan cricket. "The authorities must seriously look at this issue of more and more players getting frustrated with our cricket system and trying to settle abroad and qualify for their adopted countries," he said.