South Africa’s leading Pakistani-born league spinner Imran Tahir’s bowling is widely believed, but few people know that he abandoned Pakistan for marrying an Indian-born South African girl and adopted South Africa and made a new country.
Born on March 28, 1979 in Lahore, Imran Tahir started playing cricket with his schooling. He has also led Pakistan’s under-19 team. When the Pakistan team went to South Africa to play in the Under-19 World Cup in 1998, Imran met Samia Dildar from the modeling field.
That she will not leave South Africa and go to Pakistan. Imran Tahir was forced to move to South Africa on the condition of his wife and thus he said goodbye to Pakistan in 2006 and became a member of South Africa. Imran Tahir has been associated with the South African cricket team for the last 5 years.
Imran Tahir has been married to Samia Dildar for 15 years and they have a son named Gibran. The family lives in Cape Town, South Africa.
With the arrival of Ramadan, Imran Tahir will start practicing his Islamic values and will play international cricket all day long for his team, which is sponsored by a liquor company.
In an interview with AFP, Imran Tahir said, “I don’t think it’s difficult to strike a balance between professional sports and following one’s beliefs. If they are on the right track, it is very easy.”
Imran Tahir, one of the world’s top bowlers of Pakistani descent, acquired South African citizenship after his marriage and has played for the Proteas more than 100 times since his debut in 2011.
His national team regularly prays together on the field during the Pakistan International matches, while the lunch break on Fridays is also extended. In this way, players and fans can pray together in a nearby mosque once a week.
On the other hand, Bangladesh is also a Muslim country playing Test cricket but there is no facility for the fans to offer prayers in the ground.
Imran Tahir is one of the five Muslims included in the South African squad for the triangular series against Australia and the host West Indies, which starts on June 3 and the final will be played on June 26.
Imran Tahir also joins former captain Hashim Amla, who has been given a special exemption from advertising the team’s main sponsor, Castle Lager, as Islam prohibits drinking.
The league spinner said that if he could not fast in a particular match, he would make up for it.
At the end of the Indian Premier League, Tahir said: “I am thankful to Allah who has been gracious to me. ۔
The Lahore-born South African star spinner has played cricket all over the world, including the England County Championship and the IPL.
In an interview in New Delhi, the capital of India, he said that many cricketers help him in his religious affairs.
Looking at his watch before Friday prayers, he said, “I have seen all the different cultures of the world while playing cricket and I have no problem walking on my own.”
“The players, coaches and support staff are very respectful. Some of them even offer me prayers in their rooms.”
Despite starting cricket at the age of 32, Imran Tahir is a key member of the South African team and has established himself as one of the top class spinners.
In T20 cricket, he is second only to Samuel Badri of the West Indies and sixth in the ODI rankings.
“I think the style of celebrating is natural and there is no texture in it,” he said of his style of celebrating after taking wickets.
Imran Tahir says, “Looking at the difficult moments of my life, I feel good about how far I have come. If I get a wicket, I want to show people how important it is to me.”
